The Dreamcatcher
by fortheloveofcamelot
Summary: When Arthur and Merlin fall victim to a powerful enchantment; friendships are pushed to the limit, secret forces are at work, and Merlin's past may come back to haunt him.
1. The First Phase

_Disclaimer: Everything belongs to the BBC - except for the few characters you won't recognise - they are all ours :)_

**Hi Guys! Thanks for reading this story. Well, I am assuming you are going to read this, cause nobody just reads the author's note and not the story. Unless, of course, the author's note is really bad, and rambling, in which case I may shut up soon. **

**This is our first multi-chap fic, and for two of us, our first fic at all. Eleanor did publish an awesome one-shot, but that is neither here nor there -unless you want to read it of course! (Hem hem, read it, now!) **

**Anyway, this is co-written between three of us; that is Catherine, Eleanor and Simona. We all took alternative chapters more or less, so I will let you all know who is writing which chapter when it is published.**

**Thank you and enjoy!**

**Chapter One Author: Simona**

* * *

The First Phase

The sky glowed red hot orange and, as the sun descended, darkened into a mystical and dazzling purple as the stars slowly awoke from their daily roost. The castle stood majestically in front of the backdrop, the torches ablaze, a comforting light that meant only one thing to Arthur and Merlin after a tiring trek:

Home.

Merlin couldn't wait to unsaddle his wary steed, which he had rode for nearly 3 hours, from the time that they had heard there had been a disturbance in the outlying villages till now, when they were on the return stretch of the journey. Arthur thought nothing of it – he was used to having to ride out into the sunset to keep the peace in the kingdom on his fathers' command. Every couple of minutes, he could see Merlin re-adjusting himself on his saddle, flicking his legs this and that way and straightening himself this way and that, which Arthur found deeply amusing.

"Merlin, there is no way that saddle is bothering you that much", he commented, hoping that Merlin would think of something interesting to retort with.

"It's easy for you" he began, "Your behind is practically padded under all that fat you carry around on it", he looked at the castle, not meeting his eyes, as Arthur chuckled. Merlin had exceeded his expectations.

"My _behind_?" he asked, faking seriousness.

"Oh I'm sorry... I mean your _royal _behind", he corrected himself and began to smile.

"Ahh Merlin, I never tire of your…"

Suddenly, an arrow skimmed through the air, making contact with Merlin's heart, after sinking through his shirt, causing him to fall sideways off his horse, onto the soggy field. Arthur unsaddled and rushed to his aid, while the arrow glowed shimmering pink and melted into the wound spilling crimson blood everywhere.

Through the blur of semi-consciousness, Merlin saw Arthurs' face, constricted in panic and fear; he felt Arthur's hands assessing his chest, until the darkness took hold of him and he felt nothing.

* * *

Gaius rushed around in the chaos that was Merlin's possibly fatal incident, collecting dressings and trying to find a select bottle lost in a sea of similar ones. Oh, how he wished he had decided to organize his workbench so in moments such as this, important vials could easily be identified and accessed. But now was not the time to spend focusing on regrets.

Merlin was lying unconscious on his bed, Gwen and Arthur fawning over him, while he was struggling to find his sample of arnica.

"Gaius, are you sure there is nothing we can do?" queried Arthur.

"Well, actually, Gwen would you mind getting me a pail of water from the well?" he requested, to which she nodded and spun out the door, "And Arthur, I think you should clean yourself up before dinner with your father…"

"But Gaius…"

"Now now, your father would not want you to be this distressed about the welfare of your manservant. Imagine when you are King and one of your servants falls ill, you cannot spend every hour at their bedside – you will have a kingdom to run, a kingdom which requires constant leadership, which you will have to provide."

"But…"

"Now scoot. Besides, you have Merlin's blood on you, you'll start to smell" he pointed out, smiling slightly though his eyes were already looking at his shelf stacked with phials. Arthur trudged, defeated, out of the chambers, after shooting Merlin a final look.

Now Gaius was able to work in peace.

He found the arnica eventually, nestled discreetly between the basil and the laurel, and carefully set about dressing the wound. When he finally cleaned it out, something peculiar happened.

The folds of skin which were split into a deep forge over Merlin's heart stretched out their longs strand-like arms of skin and started pulling themselves together, until they closed over each other, leaving a faint pinkish mark. Gaius stared dismayed at Merlin, dropping his instruments on the floor.

Merlin stirred. His eyes fluttered open, the pupils gawking.

They flashed gold.

* * *

It started in the streets of Camelot, the dream.

Merlin found himself in the lower town, quite disorientated, being hauled along by a chunky, grimy chain further from the castle, while he felt as if great burdens were being lifted off his shoulders, making him feel buoyant and weightless, while a feeling of dread in his gut told him of an even greater burden that was unhurriedly being loaded onto his shoulders.

Once he had been dragged out of the sanctuary of Camelot, the pull was greater; the chain moved him along faster slowly gaining momentum until he was tripping and failing to keep up.

It lead him into the forest, where the trees doubled over him, shielding him from the prying eyes of the moon. The earth was a minefield of upturned roots, crooked twigs and thorns which left him scarred, scratched and bleeding.

At last the chain slowed down, nearing its destination: a dishevelled den.

Outside was a gnarled pitching post for horses which Merlin realised his chain was attached to, a wench bringing it in. The whole den looked like a part of the forest: plants grew along the bitter stone walls, sick juicy thorns gleaming in the dim light; the roof was grass, ridden with withering weeds; the door being a board of wood, amber trickling out of deep, troubling cuts.

The door opened for him and he, without question, shuffled in, while the door closed behind him. Inside, a monster, ornamental bird cage dominated the room, with a cheerless falcon perched inside, its crestfallen eyes watching him as he surveyed the rest of the room. The walls were swathed with tarnished clocks which had all stopped at 10 o'clock. The rest of the space was packed with dead mice and voles', suggesting the falcon was somebody's pet.

Merlin took one of the mice and managed to squeeze it through the bars of the cage, which it took gratefully. It ripped its head off eagerly and chewed ravenously.

Merlin suddenly noticed there was something in his mouth. He spat it out.

A mouse's head.

* * *

Merlin gradually came round: his head thumping, the noises made by his surroundings blaring in his sensitive ears. At one point there was someone humming a lullaby, someone sobbing silently, someone inquiring about his condition and being told calmly by the undisputable voice of Gaius that he would be fine.

When it was reasonably quiet, Merlin's eyes flapped open and he saw the familiar quarters of his uncle: the same disordered ruckus of cures and poisons, dusty tomes and parchments full of knowledge and secrets which Merlin had yet to discover.

He pulled himself upright and while looking at the new pink flesh on his chest, memories of the previous night flooded back: a sharp pain through his chest as the arrow struck his heart, Arthur huddled over him (was that worry on his face? He wasn't sure…), a warm sticky substance seeping into his garment, the horses neighing in the darkness… And the dream, he shuddered, it stood vividly in his mind, like a ghost haunting him.

"Merlin, oh, thank goodness, you gave me quite the scare" Gaius rushed over to him, "How are you feeling?" he quizzed.

"Uh, fine… I'm slightly confused, but fine…" he responded, inspecting his 'wound' again.

"Ah, yes, _that_" he referred to his wound, "It seems you have some sort of healing power…"

"Healing… power?" his tone made Gaius sound mad.

"The wound just knitted itself together in front of me, it was the strangest thing I have ever seen" he paraphrased.

"But I've had cuts before and they've stayed for at least a few weeks" Merlin challenged.

"Hmmm" he contemplated, "Maybe the power only works when the injury is serious…" Gaius suggested, and Merlin started to see his point.

"Even so, this means that you have yet to discover the full scale of your powers, I mean, who knows what else you can do?" Gaius rationalised, thinking of the possibilities. He walked over to the workbench, where he continued what he must have been doing before Merlin awoke: tidying.

"So are you certain that you're absolutely fine?" he asked, once again, to clarify.

"Yes, I'm fine!" Merlin replied, slightly annoyed.

"Alright, alright, you're fine… oh and before I forget, Arthur left you a note" he passed him a folded piece of paper, with "Merlin" written fluidly on the outside. Inside it read:

_**Meet me at the training grounds.**_

_**My royal behind needs a workout.**_

_**Arthur**_

Oh joy, thought Merlin.

* * *

**Well, there you have it! Please review, (only if you want to, of course. I have no sword pointed at you. Yet) **

**Next Chapter: Did You Miss Me? (Written by yours truly - Catherine) **

**Should be up as soon as I remember. Merci Beaucoup!**


	2. Did You Miss Me?

**Question: Is this a short chapter? Answer: Why, yes it is... **

**I'm sorry, guys. I didn't quite realise how short it was when I wrote it. Take it as a filler chapter, and roll with it. From what I've been hearing by my fellow writers, the chapters currently being written are a lot longer. You will just have to hold out till then. I'm setting the scene... Let's just say that... :) **

**Anyway, let the story commence! (Or continue, I guess, seeing as it has already started...) **

**Author: Catherine**

Did You Miss Me?

Stumbling down the castle steps, Merlin paused for a moment, scanning the courtyard before him. Everything seemed normal; the people walked to and fro, caught up in their daily business, the guards loyally patrolled, the regular clopping of hooves and squealing of cart wheels sounded welcoming in his ears.

It all seemed so normal. Just like it should. But as he stood there, one hand unconsciously on his wound, he couldn't help but feel like something was different. What it was, he couldn't say; a strange feeling in his chest, lightness in his breath. Like he was on the edge of something, but he couldn't figure out what.

The dream. Slowly being trapped, the sinking feeling of terror, the falcon watching him with those cold, calculated eyes…

"Merlinnn..!"

The familiar drawl cut sharply across his thoughts, and Merlin shook his head, dazed, and turned towards the sound. Sure enough, Arthur stood at the other end of the shadowing courtyard, sword in hand.

"I didn't summon you to admire the scenery, Merlin... Some of us have things to do. Important things."

The Prince's face appeared agitated, but Merlin still couldn't bite back a grin. He would never admit it to Arthur, but he was glad to see his friend again, as cruel images of Arthur's anguished expression looking down at him when he was shot by the arrow were slow to fade.

"Oh I am sorry, Arthur. I didn't realise being a prat took up so much of your time." Merlin called, hurrying across the paved courtyard to join the Prince. "Though I suppose, it is a full time job..."

"Surely by now you have realised you can't talk to me like that," Arthur chuckled, before suddenly turning serious, casting his eyes over Merlin. "Look..."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." Merlin said, holding his hands up defensively, "I know I was out of it for a while, I will get back to my chores as soon as you've finished me beating me to a pulp with whatever your weapon of choice is..."

"Merlin!" Arthur interrupted, placing one hand firmly on his servant's shoulder, avoiding eye contact awkwardly. "I just wanted to say... you had me pretty worried for a while there, and... I'm... I'm glad you're alright." Merlin froze for a second, a surprised grin plastered on his face. Seeing this, Arthur huffed and strode towards the training ground.

"So you mean to say," Merlin chirped, jogging to catch up with the long strided walk, "that you were actually worried about me?"

"Don't push it, Merlin..."

"Wow Arthur," Merlin jumped in front of the Prince, making Arthur stop in his tracks, scowling at his servant's grin. "I never knew you cared."

Arthur narrowed his eyes, a small frown creased between his brows, opened his mouth, and Merlin was sure that he was about to be piled with so many chores that it would have almost been worth it to be unconscious still. However, just before Arthur could sentence him, rescue came in the form of an assault. Something fast moving and big slammed into Merlin, hugging him tightly.

"Thank God... I was so worried."

"Gwen," Merlin said lightly, pushing her off. "I'm fine."

Holding his hands out wide, he watched with amusement as she frantically cast her eyes over him. "Look, I'm all in one piece."

"But you got shot, everyone said so, right within Camelot's borders. And I was so worried, but Arthur came out and told me you were fine, and that you didn't even have a wound, but I didn't understand, I mean, neither did he, but how could you not have a wound? But you look fine now, which is such a relief, I was so scared, everyone was, even Arthur. You didn't see him Merlin; he barely left your side. He seemed to think it was his fault, and... What's so funny?"

"Gwen..." Merlin said softly, his grin wide on his face, turning her shoulders round so she faced Arthur, whose face was like thunder.

"Oh... Emm, Sire. I didn't see you there."

Merlin, still grinning, draped one arm around Gwen's shoulders as she stood frozen to the spot. "Didn't leave my side, eh, Arthur?"

"Guinevere. Thank you for sharing that, but Merlin and I have training to do." Grabbing Merlin's arm roughly, he dragged his friend away from the cause of Arthur's clear embarrassment.

"So, Arthur..." Said Merlin, still grinning from ear to ear, "Did you cry..."

"How about we have some mace work then, Merlin? And after that I am pretty sure there are a few stables waiting to be mucked out with your name on them." Arthur gave a small smirk of satisfaction as the smile was wiped off Merlin's face.

"But… I was seriously wounded," Merlin whined, as they rounded the corner and the grassy training ground came into view. "I could have died; I'm in a weakened state..."

"Stop being such a girl, Merlin."

The banter didn't continue however, because at that moment the warning bell of Camelot rang loudly over the city. Sending a flock of birds squawking into the clear, blue sky.

* * *

**Fatabulous. Hope you liked it, and, as you always know, please feel free and tell us how you liked it. Reviews make our day, and I shall -hopefully- reply to them. **

**Unless, of course, my computer spontaneously combusts. And Simona's. And Eleanor's. In which case we may have a problem replying. But that will be the least of our problems, we will be far too busy organising the epic sorcerer man-hunt for the oh-so evil warlock who exploded out laptops. Where did I put my pitchfork... **

**Next Chapter: The Opposite of Treason**


	3. The Opposite of Treason

**Just had the most epic sneak attack snowball fight with the guys from work. I live in Scotland, which some of you may have heard is absolutly covered in snow. Good times :) **

**Oh my gosh, wasn't Merlin epic last night? Just... wow. I don't have words to describe it. Which is probably a good thing because some of you might not have seen it... You poor people who don't have BBC. **

**So, here is the next chapter, obviously. Thank you for all the support, it means the world to us :) **

**Author: Eleanor**

The Opposite of Treason

Ansari paced the cave anxiously. Since the ambush they'd agreed to split up and regroup in one of their hiding places separately, so as to avoid suspicion. Ansari knew all about avoiding suspicion. He had spent his life on the run, and blending in was quite hard for a tall black man whose shaved head was covered with all sorts of magical symbols. Even _he_ didn't know what some of the tattoos meant. But he didn't complain, the symbols were a major source of his power, and rarely going out in public (except with a hooded cloak, and at night) was a sacrifice Ansari was willing to make for such power.

He stopped pacing abruptly, his face turned to the mouth of the cave for a clue as to the source of the noise, which his body instinctively shrank into the shadows away from. His paranoia diminished as he recognised the two figures standing there.

One was an old man. He had occasional tufts of downy white hair sticking out at odd angles from under a faded red fez and, although he was rather scrawny and small, he was rather sprightly for his age. He was currently wheezing from the exertion of running from the knights of Camelot. He took a moment to recover and bowed quickly to Ansari before straightening his robes.

"Waldemar." said Ansari, acknowledging the old man's presence and survival.

The other figure was a young boy. Almost a man, but with the youthful frame of a boy, he had gangly limbs and a faint smattering of freckles across his face. His fair hair and pale eyes made him look almost ethereal and he seemed to light the darkened cave.

"Hendrick," said Ansari, clapping the boy on his shoulder in a friendlier manner. He was glad his adopted son was safe. Ansari had found Hendrick at a destroyed Druid camp when he was a baby, and Ansari had raised him as his own.

Hendrick smiled weakly at his father's pride and went to rest in a corner of the cave.

"Have you heard from the others yet?" Waldemar asked Ansari in an undertone.

"No," he replied solemnly, "but they are strong. I have faith."

No sooner had Ansari said this than three figures appeared at the mouth of the cave.

One was a sturdy-looking man with a wild beard and a mop of rust-coloured hair. His dark beady eyes roved around the cave, counting heads. As he reached six, he lowered his head.

"As I feared." He muttered, half to himself.

"As you feared, Isaac?" asked Ansari, "Pray, have faith, they could still be out there, waiting for a chance to return safely."

"I am afraid not," said Isaac, "forgive me, but I have failed you." He knelt before his leader and tried not to flinch as he imagined the painful blows that should follow.

The two other figures who had entered with him also knelt. One was a plump, motherly-looking woman with a few grey streaks in her mousy hair. The other was a tall man with a dark ponytail, olive skin and a neatly trimmed goatee. His fingers were weighed down with an amazing amount of rings. The trademark grin that usually lit his face was now gone as all three wore the same expression of guilt and sadness. Ansari's eyes narrowed.

"What aren't you telling me, Isaac?" he asked.

Isaac raised his tiny worried eyes to meet Ansari's large suspicious ones.

"Erasmus and Clara. They didn't make it."

There was a half-concealed gasp at the back of the cave as Hendrick registered the news. Waldemar took off his fez and held it over his heart. Ansari turned away and fell to his knees.

The man with the goatee, Tapsell, stood up sombrely and walked outside, muttering to himself as he waved his arms.

"_Ámundae bordrand_." His words carried on the wind as he cast the protective spells around the cave to conceal and protect now that the remaining members were inside, "_Áhellian, hierdan trymian_."

Tapsell's eyes flashed amber as a bronze net appeared to criss-cross the air around the cave, shimmering briefly before vanishing completely. This done, he went back inside to console the others.

"How did it happen?" came a cracked voice from the back of the cave. Hendrick's.

Isaac turned to Tapsell and he nodded once. Isaac stood up and began to tell the sad tale.

"We had just split up from you. We pursued her as you said, but Erasmus stayed behind to hold off the knights. We saw him fall and Clara stopped. She ran back to him, we couldn't s-stop her. She refused to leave him, defending her love. We had to leave them to continue the mission. But _She_ got away. And they died for nothing." He spat bitterly.

Ansari stood up and faced them, his eyes fiery with anger. "We will not fail them." He declared. "We will remember brave Erasmus and sweet Clara. We will not dishonour their memories, but continue to fight for the dream that they, indeed us, share."

There was a sad silence as the group remembered their fallen comrades, then a sense of urgency as they decided what was now to be done.

"Well, we know that the sister is still in Camelot," said Mabel, the plump, motherly woman, "If approached carefully, she could be of great use to the cause."

"There is no denying it," agreed Ansari, "but remember, the apple never falls far from the tree. We have to be careful."

"Remember the prophecy. Whatever it takes." Said Hendrick, his teeth gritted with a new determination.

"And what of the young warlock? Is he to know?" interrupted Isaac.

"He knows something of the prophecy, but all in good time, Isaac." Ansari reassured him. "We live in the shadows."

With this solemn reminder of their motto, the group disbanded. Ansari and Hendrick retreated into the forest where they had a small campsite. Isaac, Tapsell and Waldemar took it in turns to walk into the lower town past the guards so as not to alert them to the presence of too many suspicious late-night wanderers, and Mabel retired to her small shop where she also lived.

It had been an eventful night, and the disjointed, disheartened group of people who had met in secret all tried not to think of the one house in the lower town which would stand cold and empty, the one which had belonged to Erasmus and his wife Clara, whose bodies were also now cold and empty, accused of treason when it was really the opposite. Allegiance.

* * *

**And booyah! Done. **

**Hope you like it, and gets you thinking... who the hell are these guys? I know :P But I shan't tell you, that's no fun. **

**When I next post, Merlin season 3 will be finished! Noooooooooooooooooooooo :'( **

**What will I do on Saturday nights now? Oh woe to be me. But meh, enough of my despair. **

**If any of you haven't heard of it, on Merlin BBC website there is a series of Colin and Bradley "Quests" that are pretty amusing... **

**Thank you and until next week folks. **

**Next Chapter: Rocky Relations.**


	4. Rocky Relations

**Hello again folks! **

**I will keep it short and sweet - Merlin was epic. But, it usually is. Specially loved the Arthur and Merlin bits - But, then again, I usually do. Rat stew - awesomeness in a bowl. Shan't give away spoilers cause.. well, if pointing out the obvious.. Spoilers spoil it. I thought though that maybe it was a bit rushed.. but they do only have 45 mins, they have to make do with the time they have. I won't go into it all in depth here cause well, we are all here to read this story below, no? **

**Snows clearing, will have to go back to school tomorrow -dammit-. And I like to update these things on Sundays, but stupid Catherine (yes, me..) had a mental spaz and totally thought today was Saturday for some reason, until a lovely person (thank you, Simona) kindly asked me why I hadn't put the chapter up. But it's all good now, my mental calender has been fixed. **

**Anywhoos, next chapter guys, and after that amazing, bamboozle your brains chapter last week, we find ourselves back in Camelot, with a thankfully not as pathetic King as we saw on TV. **

**And who to credit for this super chapter? Same homie as last time :) **

**Author: Eleanor**

* * *

Rocky Relations

Uther swept along a corridor, Sir Leon and some of his faithfuls trotting at his heels, trying to keep up.

"Sir, we've sent out a patrol to assess the situation."

"Do you have any ideas what the disturbance might be?"

"None sire."

"Well then. Report to me immediately when you hear any news."

With this, Sir Leon bowed and left, taking two knights with him. Uther walked to the throne room and sat in his throne ponderously, hoping the bell was nothing too serious. True, their relations in the East had been a little rocky lately but still…

His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the court physician. Gaius walked up to Uther and bowed his head.

"Sire, I have news."

Uther gestured for him to go on.

"I know what's happened to Merlin."

The King looked confused, "Who's Merlin?"

"Prince Arthur's manservant, sire."

"Ah, yes. _Him_."

Gaius chose to ignore this somewhat ominous comment and kept going.

"Your son reported seeing him shot with an arrow. A pink arrow that somehow melted when it made contact with Merlin's heart. It is my belief that this was coated in a very strong love potion, hence the garish (but highly fashionable) colour and lack of wounds on Merlin."

Uther looked utterly bored and had in fact, been sleeping with one eye open when Gaius was talking. He jerked awake to politely listen to the end of Gaius' speech.

"A love arrow, you say?" Uther said, in a bored, sarcastic tone, "So what, this, _Merlin_ character is going to fall in love?"

"I believe so, sire. But I don't know who with. It all depends on how the potion was brewed, so until then, all I can do is keep an eye on Merlin and make sure he doesn't do anything stu – well… _unusually_ stupid."

Uther suddenly sat up straight, struck with a sudden epiphany. "Wait, this love potion arrow… whatever it is, you are suggesting that this is _sorcery_?"

Gaius faltered, "Y-yes, sire, I believe so." He was wary of restarting another Uther-style rampaging Purge upon Camelot.

"Well, then, this must be dealt with immediately," said Uther seriously, "Double the guards. Search the lower towns for anyone under suspicion of consorting with sorcerers or such."

He barked these orders at the pair of sentinels standing guard at the door, who nodded simultaneously and turned to leave however, they were intercepted as the heavy double doors were thrown open, and a party of Camelot knights entered. A particularly huge one carried a young woman in his arms. She was unconscious, but there was nothing else visibly wrong with her.

"There was an attack, my Lord." Said Sir Leon at the head of the group, "This young maiden was trying to enter Camelot when she was attacked by a band of rogues. They had magic, sire, and they attacked us when we intervened. They destroyed a few market stalls in the process. We managed to kill a few, but some escaped into the woods. We have patrols scouting for them now."

"Good work, Leon." Said Uther, nodding. "Take the maiden to Gaius' quarters until she recovers."

"Sire," said Sir Leon, as Gaius and the guard carrying the young woman left, "The rogues, they stole from the maiden. These were the only belongings we could salvage."

Another guard held out a split bag and a bow, snapped clean in half. However, there was no sign of a quiver of arrows.

"Must have been stolen by the bandits." Murmured Uther.

* * *

Merlin arrived at Gaius' chambers, panting and out of breath.

"Gaius, have you h-heard what's happened?" he gasped.

Gaius came into sight, mixing a few herbs with a mortar and pestle.

"Of course I have. The maiden is in my custody now."

"I have to get my bag. Then I'm going with Arthur to help find the attackers."

"Oh no you're not!" said Gaius, looking Merlin in the eyes, "All you ever do is go off on silly quests that nearly get you killed. You're supposed to be my apprentice, so act like it for a change. You are working with _me_ today, understand?"

Merlin was surprised. Gaius was clearly very set on the matter

"Okay, okay." he said under his breath.

"Now pass me some rookweed. Under that book there." Ordered Gaius.

Merlin crossed the room to extricate a jar of rookweed from behind a heavy book, sighing. He craned his neck over to the invalid's bed where he saw a sleeping shape, but he could discern no more before Gaius cuffed him round the side of the head.

"Ow!" yelped Merlin, "What was that for?"

"Not paying attention!" said Gaius sharply.

An hour later, Merlin was still sulking and Gaius was still snapping at everything Merlin did wrong. Merlin kept getting under Gaius' feet and vice versa. However, the tedious routine of scolding and scowling was soon broken by a soft cough.

Merlin and Gaius' heads snapped round to look over at the woman. She was sitting up and looking around herself in astonishment.

Merlin looked at her in the eyes and rushed over to help her. Gaius was surprised. Merlin was usually, well, useless.

"Don't strain yourself, my Lady." Said Merlin softly, helping her out of bed.

The woman laughed, a chiming of bells. "Who says I am a lady?" she said scornfully, as she regained her balance. Her eyes narrowed in confusion for but a second, before they immediately resumed their docile watchfulness.

"But you are so fair and graceful, you must be a Lady." said Merlin, smiling.

Gaius snorted quietly to himself. Merlin was so strange sometimes. Maybe he was still recovering from his wound.

_His wound._

* * *

**His wound? His wound... HIS WOUND! **

**That's how I imagine Gaius thought about it. So guys... who the hell is this _maiden_, eh? Perhaps, we shall soon -as in next Sunday- soon see... **

**As always, thanks for reading, feel free to review, and Oh, least I forget, thank you to those who have reviewed that I can't reply to! **

****

CM - Okay, first when I saw that.. I freaked. Those are my initials. Did I review myself? I can be such a noobasaurus sometimes I wouldn't have been suprised if it was. And I am glad you think it is fantabulous :) I love using weird words - hence the noobasaurus.

Laira - Glad you like the idea! Yeah, with 3 people it can sometimes get a bit.. confusing to write. Hope the story starts to unravel for you!

And as for that who calls themselves "It's me again" - Well, it is you. And you have awesome friends ;) And yes, it is definatly our awesome writing skills.. haha

Next Chapter: You're Unbelieveable


	5. You're Unbelieveable!

**Hello again!**

**Long time no... type. **

**Okay, same amount of time as usual, but it almost was a day late (Thank you, once again, Simona) I really need to do some of those brain training things to improve my memory, it's embarrasing..! **

**So, anywhoos, next chapter for you all, hope you like it, and we finally get some idea into what the hell is going on. **

**And Merlin is back in this chap! Merlin and Arthur! Hey guys, we missed you! -One week and I already miss them. What am I going to do for a year? Oh, I know, annoy my friends with Merlin quotes.**

**This one goes out to Simona and Eleanor - "It's... lonely... To be more powerful than anyone you know and have to live like a shadow. To be... special, and have to act like a fool. I know how you feel. I understand."**

**And now I am going to run away before they pelt rocks at me... I may have said that quote more than once to them... **

**Author: Simona**

YOU'RE UNBELIEVEABLE 

Light streamed into the throne room through the big planed windows to the one side and caught the king's face in a favourable way, making him seem gentle and fair yet cold and cruel. Gaius stood faithfully to the king's side, the light making his wrinkles cut into his face.

A knight led the maiden forward. Uther acknowledged them with a stiff nod of his head. She bowed deeply before him.

Uther looked at the young maiden before him. She was small and thin, and dressed in a gown that said nothing about her upbringing or wealth. She was beautiful in a natural way but there was something about her that suggested she was different.

"What brings you here to Camelot, Lady…?" Uther paused, unsure of the maidens' name or background. She seemed very jittery and kept wringing her hands together. It was understandable, he supposed.

"Lunette. My name is Lunette, sire", she filled in politely, "I came here to visit a friend, who had moved here from my kingdom after the Great Purge"

Uther shuffled uncomfortably, thoughts of that unpleasant time stirred but he quickly put them back to sleep again.

"Yes, we had a lot of new settlers in our kingdom after the Purge", Uther contemplated, "From which kingdom do you come?"

"I came from Cantia", she paused, thinking of where to start her tale, "My mother was Lady Cundrie of Bedegrayne"

Uther looked at her surprisingly, for he was sure that Cundrie was one that would never settle down, "I didn't know she had wed..."

"She did not, sire, well, not to _my_ father", Lunette sighed, "My father was Mortimer, a simple miller in the village."

Uther was speechless; he had never heard of such a thing. Gaius looked at her perceptively; it was as he had suspected, which Uther blatantly refused to believe. Uther's face shrivelled in private disgust as he looked at the girl with the fouled up blood.

"Please do continue..." Uther insisted, quietly deciding whether to cast the girl out into the streets before she gave him a peasant disease. He thought he could see fleas jumping on her head…

"I lived most of my childhood with my mother, in her castle. The servants were paid handsomely to keep me on a need to know basis. I knew of my father from a young age – my mother was not one to keep secrets", Lunette smiled briefly, "I visited my father in disguise, often as a milk maid, and never felt ashamed of my mixed birth. When I was of age, my mother was wed to Sir Dristan of Norgales. He made my mother choose. She chose him…" Her voice sounded hurt, drawing out sympathy from the king, "A few days later I arrived in my kingdom as the estranged daughter of the miller Mortimer. My mother made sure I was comfortable with my father and visited me in disguise frequently"

Uther looked her over again. He noticed the resemblance she had to her mother: the same wild blue-green eyes and dark flowing hair. The girl had had her fair share of drama and well… she was of noble blood… What harm would it do to keep her in the castle? After being thoroughly cleaned, though.

"What an interesting life you have led so far... I do hope you enjoy your stay in Camelot, I'll have someone make up a room for you to stay in…"

"Oh no, sire, I cannot" she protested, "I am hardly noble enough and I promised that I would stay with my friend, Andeline, upon my arrival to Camelot…"

Uther saw the horrified look cross her face as she recalled the events that took place the previous night. Gaius was certain he had heard the name Andeline somewhere before but he couldn't think where… Uther paid his expression no attention, for Gaius's face was always in a state of permanent mystification.

"I've heard of your plight, which is why I insist that you stay within the castle, for your safety. My men are searching for the rogues that stole from you as we speak" Uther rationalised.

"Stole from me..?" She squeaked, her eyes widening and welling up, drawing in the King; wrapping him around her finger.

Uther summoned the knight that brought her, forward, and clarified, "This was all we could salvage from your attack"; the knight showed her the split bag and broken bow.

Uther was sad that he could not cheer up the girl, that he could not make her day brighten. He decided he would arrange for her to have a new bow made; it was the least he could do after the experiences she had just had… and she'd only been in the kingdom for a short while!

"Do you know what you brought with you exactly?"

"Just a few scraps of food, sire, and my bow, is all" She took her few possessions in her hands, "I should get to Andeline's residence before she begins to worry. Thank you for everything, sire, you are most hospitable" She smiled at him and bowed. Uther felt his heart melt. She was wonderful. He vowed to wed this girl to his only son. He imagined Arthur holding her hand as they walked through the kingdom blissfully and in step with each other… And it would also strengthen relations in the east.

"Wait!" Uther called as she made to leave. He stepped off his throne and walked towards her, "Please allow one of my knights to accustom you to our kingdom." Lunette smiled, Uther was putty in her hands.

"I'm sure your friend wouldn't mind if she had to wait on you a little longer. I'll apologise to her personally…"

"No!" she interrupted him rudely, without thinking. Uther misunderstood and his face pulled into one of disrespect.

"I mean, of course, sire, if it is your wish"

* * *

"Right", Arthur started, "I want you all to show me what we focused on yesterday: Single Combat. Remember: to kill a man, all it takes is one well aimed blow"

The knights all looked at each other uncertainly but soon got over it and got down to business. They started with a clash of swords, swipes and dodges. Merlin looked around the grounds and spotted a few passers' by watching the proceedings, like it was butterflies fluttering magically in the air and not rough, sweaty knights attacking each other.

Arthur watched his knights fight with all their might. Sword fighting was a treacherous game of wits and he was proud at how they understood that and were cautious as to where they tread. He would have liked to have taught every good swordsman in the kingdom or every man who wanted training, but such was the knight's code that it could not be allowed. How he despised the code. If a man can fight, then let him fight: that was what he believed and what would happen when he was king.

Arthur slowly began to round up the knights. They knew the essentials for most types of fighting, their technique though… it needed some definite work. And Arthur worked through their problem areas, with the help of his personal dummy, Merlin.

Merlin's heart started thumping nervously. He sensed that this was the part of their training regime where Arthur used him shamelessly to feel superior and powerful in front of his knights. Typical Arthur, he remarked.

"Well, you seem to have mastered that concept. Now let's focus on weapon work. I feel like using the maces today…" Arthur looked over at Merlin fiendishly.

Gulp.

* * *

The commotion from the training ground pulled in a larger crowd as they saw Merlin being pummelled to the ground. The knights roared with hysterical laughter and shouted abuse as he feebly tried to defend himself.

As Merlin righted himself, he saw her from the corner of his eye. She was walking over to the training grounds with Sir Leon escorting her. She was breathtaking. Or maybe that sensation was Arthur wrestling him to the ground? He couldn't tell.

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled, "This is sword fighting, NOT nap time!" The crowd burst into bouts of thunderous laughter and continued to jeer at Merlin.

But Merlin did not see Arthur, or the knights, he saw a dark haired, fair skinned maiden whose figure was outlined in her rather simple dress. Her hair shined red when the light caught it, her heart shaped face contained blue-green eyes which gleamed like emeralds and sapphires, her perfect button nose marked with pale freckles, her rosy cheeks and lips. Lips so soft, so full, that Merlin wondered what it would be like to touch them, even kiss them…

Arthur's mace came crashing into his thoughts and he found himself sprawled on the wet ground, breathless under the heavy shield.

"Now lets try that again… only this time, try to at least look like a worthy opponent" Arthur ordered, clearly at a loss with Merlin's unusually weaker than usual attempts at sword fighting.

Merlin hopped lightly on his feet, gearing up and trying to concentrate on what was happening outside of his mind. The girl was now standing just a few feet away from him. He marvelled at her but quickly turned away when she shot him a look back. An urge to impress her suddenly took over and he blocked the blow Arthur was going to inflict on him sneakily.

He jabbed Arthur with the hilt of his sword and disarmed him while his shield knocked him to the ground.

He held his sword over Arthur's neck while he looked at him surprisingly. The crowd gasped, clearly shocked.

"What… was… that?" he hissed as Merlin withdrew his sword in a cool, calm manner.

"That was me acting like a worthy opponent", he smiled, not only was Arthur amazed but the girl had seen it all and was applauding him. He smiled smugly.

He walked over to her, dropping his sword and shield carelessly behind him and leaving Arthur to gradually recover from his state of shock.

"You're quite the fighter" she gushed.

"Well…" he smirked, "I can't make it _too_ easy for Arthur"

"I'm Lunette" she held out her refined hand elaborately. Merlin took it in one fluid movement and kissed the outside of her palm.

"Merlin, my Lady", he said smoothly, looking up at her through his lashes as he slowly released her soft fingers. She blushed slightly but still gave him a sweet smile as he straightened up. His head swam, so much so that he didn't realise Arthur launching an assault on him from his other side until it was too late.

Merlin groaned underneath the enormous pain that was Arthur while he spoke, more to the crowd than to Merlin.

"So much for worthy opponent", he scoffed, "You forgot Lesson Number 1: Never turn your back on your opponent", he winked at Lunette and she giggled in response.

Trust Arthur to humiliate me and steal my girl at the same time, grumbled Merlin.

* * *

**-Peeks out from behind a curtain- **

**Hope you guys liked it! I am going to go hide again, Simona and Ellie can get really evil! **

**Next Chapter - Hostile Encounters (Yes! My chapter next! :P ) **

**Thank you! -Dodges stones- Ahh, they've found me already! I'll stop, I'll stop! **

**"I think you're mad, I think you're all mad. People...-" Owwww! I'm going! -Jumps on her horse and canters off- **


	6. Hostile Encounters

**Hello Guys! Not so long time, no speak!**

**Just here, with another chapter -looks around nervously- I mean, there's nothing wrong, everything is fine...**

**Argh! I mean, Eleanor, Simona, HI! Wh...what are you doing here?**

**Simona:**** We told you we would find you, and get our revenge.**

**Me:**** Well, you will have to catch me first.**

**Simona: ****We can kill you from afar, you know.**

**Me:**** Oh, and killing things mends a broken heart?**

**Eleanor:**** -holding a rock threatingly- No, but it's good fun.**

**Me:**** Oh, for the love of Camelot, they are quoting lines back! Ahhh! Help me! **

**Author - Catherine**

* * *

HOSTILE ENCOUNTERS

The market streets were bustling with energy, as they always did at the peak of the afternoon. Noise was abundant; loud calls and chatter bounced back and forth along the streets, the atmosphere rich and full of life. The people of Camelot surged this way and that; some intent and determined in their movement, while some merely fluttered where the crowds took them.

Among the civilians strode the golden haired Prince. At first glance, a passerby would assume the prince was alone, which was not at all uncommon, as Prince Arthur did like to spend what fleeting moments he had to himself among his people. However, if you perhaps knew the man a little better, it was well known that there was almost always a second man with him, never too far from the Prince's call.

Sure enough, when some of the peasant's faces wrinkled in confusion at the sight of the lone nobleman, Arthur paused, turned back around on his heel, and scanned the crowd, eyes narrowed.

"Merlin!"

Seconds later, stumbling out of the mass of people, Merlin appeared, armour in his arms and an exasperated look on his face.

"I'm here, I'm here, alright!"

"No, not alright, Merlin. I shouldn't have to keep waiting for my _servant_ to show up when he feels like it."

"Well," Merlin panted, readjusting the heavy armour piled in his arms, "Maybe if you helped, just this once…"

Arthur turned away, and continued his march back to the castle. "God Merlin, you really are hopeless."

"You want to know what I think?"

"Not really."

"I think," said Merlin, continuing on regardless, "that you are just a teensy bit annoyed that I beat you."

That caused Arthur to turn back, and point an accusing finger in Merlin's face.

"You did not beat me."

"Emm, yes I did."

"But," Arthur glanced around conspiratorially leaning closer to his manservant. "Let's just say, for theory's sake, that you did."

"Except it wasn't theory, I actually –"

"Theory's sake _only_." Arthur paused, a hesitant look in his eyes. "How did you do it?"

Merlin suddenly realised that Arthur genuinely felt humiliated by what had happened, and as much as it would be fun to tease him, Merlin suddenly found he didn't have the heart to.

"Honestly, Arthur, I really don't know. Something just… came over me. It's hard to explain. I didn't even know I was able to fight like that, I must have just… caught you off guard."

Seeing Arthur's slightly more relieved face, Merlin bit back a grin. He may have been nice for Arthur's sake _now,_ but that didn't mean he couldn't file the Prince's defeat away for future use.

Arthur grinned slightly, and clapped his hand on his servant's shoulder, before turning away.

Is it possible, Merlin thought, that Arthur is slightly proud of me?

"Oh look who it is, Merlin."

Heaving the armour into a more comfortable position once again, Merlin followed the Prince's gaze.

His breath caught in his throat. Slowly making her way through the market stalls, knight in tow, was Lunette. Merlin suddenly forgot what he was meant to be doing; his eyes followed the flow of her hair and the flicker of her eyelashes as she leaned closer to one of the stands to examine its contents. How could anyone so beautiful exist on this Earth?

Unknown to Merlin, Arthur stood to one side, arms crossed and a triumphant grin plastered on his face. Merlin, the idiot, was clearly besotted with the Lady who had been rescued by the knights, and now that he thought about it, he seemed to recall her standing near the training fields earlier that morning.

_Something came over him. _

Someone, more like.

"Well, Merlin," he drawled, watching the boy's face twitch in annoyance at the Prince's voice. "She is _very_ beautiful."

Merlin's face flickered ever so slightly towards Arthur, but snapped back to face Lunette again.

Arthur snickered. So he refused to rise to the bait?

"Extremely beautiful. And just to think, I may have to spend some time with her. Close dinners, walks in the evening…"

"Shut up, Arthur." Merlin muttered, still keeping his eyes locked on Lunette, but getting more and more angry with the man beside him. Angry, and increasingly jealous.

"… I mean, as a Prince, I expect I will have to take responsibility for her, that means escorting her when she needs to go, intimate dinners, horse rides around the forest…"

"Arthur…" He almost laughed out loud at Merlin's expression; the boy really did look ridiculous when he was angry.

"… I'm sure I will have a lot of time alone with her. Just the Lady Lunette and I. Completely alone."

Suddenly Merlin turned around, dumping the armour roughly to the ground, and gripped Arthur's arm roughly, dragging him back a few steps. Looking into his manservant's face, Arthur was surprised to see that it wasn't Merlin's usual grinning expression, or even his mildly annoyed one. No, Merlin's face was twisted in an expression that with a sinking feeling Arthur recognised. It was the kind of grimace a man wore when he saw a man he hated. He had seen it enough times in the midst of battle, and was sure he had perhaps worn it himself. But seeing the look of unrefined anger on Merlin's face just seemed wrong somehow.

"Merlin, what-"

"We need to talk."

Arthur paused, frowning deeply at Merlin. "Are you okay?"

"I said we need to talk. Man to man."

Arthur couldn't conceal his laughter now; it rolled out his mouth before he could stop it, and he appraised the boy patronisingly, eyebrows raised.

"Man to… man?"

"You heard me."

"Oh, I heard you all right, Merlin." Arthur paused, smirk wide on his features, and looked around the street. "I am just wondering when this so-called man is going to show up to take your place."

Merlin paused for a moment, and breathed deeply though his teeth, pointing a supposedly threatening finger at Arthur.

"This isn't funny."

The Prince took a deep breath, and attempted to force his face into what he hoped was a sombre expression. "I'm sorry Merlin, I am taking this seriously. What's going on?"

"You need to back off."

The words can out sharp and cold, like the swift slice of a sword.

Arthur had very rarely seen Merlin this severe, his friend had always been one of the cheeriest people he knew, and Arthur had slowly realised that sometimes Merlin's witty retorts were exactly what he needed. Indeed, his manservant had a knack for cheering the Prince up, even when Arthur tried to hide his bad moods. Merlin just always seemed to know.

"Back off? From who?"

Arthur followed Merlin's eyes, and made out the Lady Lunette trailing her hands gently over folds of cloth in a stall further down the street.

"Oh… Merlin, you fool. Stop looking at her like that. She's a noble."

But Arthur could tell his words had barely registered in Merlin's brain, as the boy's eyes flicked back to his, cold and tense.

"I am warning you Arthur, perhaps you should listen to me for once."

The Prince's eyes narrowed at Merlin's words. Arthur wasn't one to be threatened.

Taking a step closer to Merlin, he looked carefully at his servant. "Oh yeah… Or what?"

Merlin's look was as threatening as the Prince's, and he too took a step closer, levelling his gaze with Arthur's.

"Or –"

"Sire!"

The words rang loudly, and Arthur blinked, as if suddenly coming to his senses. Shaking his head slightly, he took a step back from Merlin, whose face remained as vindictive as ever. What was he doing? Arthur never backed down from a fight, but this was Merlin he was talking about. The bumbling buffoon who had always been a constant presence of reassurance at Arthur's side. Why was Merlin acting this way? And why was Arthur rising to the bait?

The silent look of confusion he sent towards his friend had a hint of vulnerability in it, and hurt. But Merlin didn't respond. He just watched Arthur with an emotionless expression.

"Prince Arthur?"

Arthur quickly turned his back on his servant, hastily rearranging his features into an impassive look, trying to hide his previous concern, and faced the man who had conveniently caused the interruption.

"What is it, Sir Leon?"

"The King has sent for you."

Taking a deep breath, Arthur turned back to his servant. "Get out of my sight. If I need you I will send for you," he said, his words callous. And then he turned his back and eyed the filthy armour lying discarded on the street. "Get it cleaned," he snapped, and walked away, wanting nothing more to do with his servant, and realising he wanted nothing more than for the Lady Lunette to leave Camelot for good.

As Arthur strode briskly away from him, Merlin slowly unclenched his fists, breathing though his teeth. Arthur was crossing a line, friend or not. The Prince was going to stay away from Lunette, Merlin was positive of that. The armour could be dealt with later, some guard would quickly see it was moved, but he couldn't stand the Arthur's expression as he looked her, his stupid smug grin as he teased Merlin. _If only he knew… _

And Merlin couldn't simply let the retreating figure leave first, like Arthur had won the confrontation. No.

The words was whispered so gently, nobody heard it, "_áscrencan__.__"_

Merlin smirked as Arthur suddenly tripped over and fell onto his knees, one hand snapped out to catch his fall.

As Arthur knelt there for a moment, stunned and slightly embarrassed, he heard a short bitter laugh, and looked up helplessly as Merlin walked straight past his friend, head held high.

* * *

"You want me to _what_?"

"Yes, Arthur, walk her home this evening. Be respectful to our newest visitor."

Arthur regarded his father feebly, trying to come up with an excuse, because he knew what Uther's intentions were, and the sinking feeling in his stomach was telling him that it was unavoidable.

"Father, I have duties to do… I must see to the guard on the East Gate, there has been reports of –"

"Nonsense," said the King, coming over to stand near his son in the empty council chambers. "I release you of these engagements for the night, and I will trust that you will carry out your new task with the utmost diligence."

He frowned slightly as he studied his son's reluctant face, softening slightly as he recognised the childish stubbornness in the pale blue eyes.

"The Lady Lunette is, as you are aware, is from Cantia. Ever since the Meeting of The Cyne, well… I had hoped our problems with the East could be resolved, but negotiations did not turn out as planned. Lady Cundrie carries a lot of influence, insulting her daughter would not bode well for this kingdom."

"It is hardly an insult, Sire, to not walk her home," Arthur said, turning away from Uther. But his Father's hand caught his shoulder.

"It would be an insult to me, Arthur, if you refuse to carry out my request with no basis."

It was said patiently, with the kind of calmness gathered from years of ruling, but the intimidating tone was clear.

"To what is it that you object?"

Arthur's mouth moved uselessly, stumbling over an answer. For the truth was, there really was no objection; Lady Lunette was polite and kind, she was of noble blood, and Arthur could not deny that she was a rare beauty. There was no objection at all.

Except Merlin.

His twisted and cold face kept swimming to the front of Arthur's mind, and he still couldn't believe that Merlin could look so full of hate. Would Merlin forgive him for following his father's wishes?

But his father was the King. Merlin, he was just a servant.

"I will accompany her as you wish, Father."

Uther gave a small smile and clapped Arthur on the shoulder. "Good man."

Taking that as his signal to leave, Arthur respectfully dipped his head and made for the door. Just as he was about to leave, however, Uther spoke.

"I trust if this goes well then you should like to spend more time with her. A union of Camelot and the Eastern kingdoms would be most favourable."

Slowly turning around, Arthur gave his father a tight lipped smile. "Of course."

But Arthur couldn't imagine ever wanting to spend more time with Lunette. There was only one woman who could capture his heart. If only it were allowed.

"And for goodness sake, Arthur, make it seem as if you haven't been forced to walk with her. You've got an expression like a sour grape."

Arthur tried once more to give his father a more genuine smile, but it died on his lips. So, he simply bowed his head once more and left.

As he swept out of the council chambers, he paused, and his eyes narrowed. Further along the corridor, Merlin lounged causally against one of the pillars, looking at the floor sullenly. Feeling Arthur's gaze, he looked up, cringing slightly at the Prince's expression. He was going to come over and talk to him; Arthur realised, and so promptly walked off in the opposite direction. But he could hear the slap of Merlin's boots hurrying to catch up with him, and soon enough Merlin was matching his steps.

"Arthur-"

"I thought I told you to get out of my sight."

"Look, I know you are mad... But I'm sorry."

Arthur stopped, and turned to look at Merlin. "You're sorry? Oh, then that's okay, Merlin," He said sarcastically. Then he glowered at the servant and continued to walk. "I could have had you thrown in jail for your disrespect."

"And would this be before or after you have fallen over again?"

Catching sight of Arthur's expression, Merlin held his hands up innocently. "Okay, okay, too soon for jokes. But in all seriousness… Arthur," he said, grabbing the prince by his arm and pulling him around. "I am genuinely sorry. I don't know why I got so angry. It was so stupid." Merlin pressed one hand up to his forehead.

"Merlin, you should go and see Gaius; you… haven't been acting yourself."

"So you have forgiven me?"

Arthur sighed, running a hand though his hair. "I haven't decided yet," he admitted, turning away from Merlin. Suddenly a thought struck him.

"Actually Merlin, take the night off, get some rest, and I expect to see you bright and early tomorrow morning."

Merlin's shocked face was priceless. "Hold on, I think I misheard, I thought you just said I could have the night off."

"I did."

"But… I know I've been a bit stroppy lately, and again, I'm sorry. But I don't need the night off. I'm fine!"

Arthur looked away, a small frown furrowing his brow. Getting Merlin to not suspect anything was harder than he thought. "Merlin, I order you to go home."

Merlin huffed, and pouted his lips. Honestly, that boy was pathetic, Arthur thought.

"But –"

"Go."

Merlin sighed once more and walked back down the corridor, pausing to look back.

"Arthur, I'm fine, -"

"Merlin, would you like me to call some guards to escort you back to Gaius's?" Arthur mocked, and grinned at his friend's scowl. It looked like Merlin was back to his old self, and he turned to once more make his way back to his chambers.

"What did your father want?"

Arthur paused at the other end of the hallway, and didn't turn back to face Merlin.

"Oh, nothing of consequence."

* * *

Awkward. That was the only word that could describe the situation.

Arthur kept looking straight ahead, concentrating fully on the ground in front of him, trying desperately to think of something to say.

It had started off well enough; he had met with the Lady Lunette, exchanged pleasantries, and together they had set off through the now emptying streets. Everything was peaceful in the town, most of the citizens were in their houses, preparing or eating meals, and only a few stragglers remained. And after asking Lunette of her opinion of Camelot, conversation had fallen rather flat.

The truth was that he didn't know what to say to her. He had heard all about her tragic past from his father, and knew it wasn't a subject which he wanted to mention. And so they walked in uncomfortable silence.

"I trust my Knight showed you around Camelot capably?"

"Of course."

At least it was uncomfortable for him. Lunette walked proudly along at his side, and didn't try to venture questions of her own. Anything he had asked her had been met with short, not rude, but rather bland answers. But what was unnerving was the way she kept glancing at him.

There was something expectant in her eyes, almost demanding, and Arthur wondered whether she felt he wasn't paying enough attention to her. But he was trying; it just felt so… awkward.

With a small smile, Arthur remembered his dinner with Guinevere, and the way the conversation seemed to roll out of his tongue. That had felt so easy, so natural. He felt a small tug in his stomach at the thought of Gwen, and wished he could be walking with her down the street instead.

"Is your friend you are staying with a citizen of Camelot?" He ventured.

"Oh, no," she replied, her soft voice carrying clearly along the quiet street. "She used to live in Cantia, in our court in fact, but… circumstances changed and well, she now lives here."

Arthur could tell from her tone that that was all she was going to say on the matter. He sighed, and they had almost had a conversation.

Suddenly Arthur became aware of someone following him; though to be honest he was surprised he hadn't noticed it sooner. After all, they weren't exactly subtle about it, and he could easily hear the scuffled footsteps.

Stopping sharply, he turned on his heel and scanned the dim street, one hand resting lightly on the pommel of his sword. Lunette froze beside him, and her breath caught in her throat. What if it was those mysterious attackers from before? She had been promised they had been driven from the town.

"Arthur, what is it?" She asked, her voice carefully controlled, and holding a hint of fear.

The Prince, who had been standing tensely; scrutinizing the area before him, all of a sudden relaxed, sighed and, shaking his head, rubbed one hand over his forehand in a weary manner.

"Fancy meeting you here, Merlin."

There was a moment of complete silence, but a few seconds later Merlin himself stumbled towards them; a sheepish look on his face. He stopped a few feet in front of them and tugged awkwardly at his neck scarf, glancing suspiciously between the pair.

"Arthur?" He said, eyes widening in mock surprise, and then turned and did a rather extravagant bow toward the Lady Lunette. Arthur rolled his eyes. "I didn't expect to see you here, my Lady. With Arthur. Together."

"Merlin…" Arthur growled, punching his servant lightly on the arm. "You have always been an awful liar."

However, Arthur was secretly glad that Merlin was at least making an effort to stay civil. He had, after all, deliberately sent Merlin away that night so he wouldn't discover Arthur's promised commitment. But it seemed that the idiotic servant had had other ideas.

Pushing his thoughts aside, Arthur turned back towards Lunette, offering her his arm.

"Shall we continue, My Lady?" She haughtily looked over at Merlin once more, before taking the Prince's arm.

"Go home, Merlin." Arthur chided.

"But I am headed the same way as you are!"

The Prince paused, and raised his eyebrows sarcastically. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"To where, exactly?"

"You know, the same way as you…" Merlin hesitated for a moment, looking down the streets vacantly, before abruptly pointing. "That way."

"We aren't going that way."

"Oh yeah, I forgot, I'm going this way."

"Wrong again."

"That way."

"Nope."

Merlin frowned at Arthur's self-righteous expression, and rapidly changed tact.

"I was told to go with you… Whichever way that is."

"Liar," Arthur immediately shot back.

Merlin spread his hands wide. "I would never lie to you!"

"Really?" Arthur scoffed, "Who sent you?"

Arthur had to give it to him, the boy really tried to think on his feet. It just never actually worked.

"Your father," he stated confidently, before shutting his lips and frowning, as if suddenly realising what he had just said.

Arthur laughed out loud, and motioned towards the castle. "The King… sent you to _accompany _us?"

"Yes. For…" Merlin looked around wildly, as if hoping for some kind of rescue, "…protection."

There was a moment of deep silence, before it was sharply cut off with the roar of Arthur's laughter ripping from his stomach. "You…" he puffed, struggling to stifle his mirth "are going to protect me?"

"That's right," Merlin stated, trying to appear confidant.

"Oh, okay, Merlin," Arthur said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "I feel so much safer now you are here to watch over us. I now know that no harm will come our way."

"Hey, you have no idea how many times I have saved your undeserving backside."

"Merlin, I am a Prince, show some respect!" Arthur snapped, before smiling briefly at Lady Lunette to reassure her, and then turning to continue their journey.

"Oh I'm sorry. You have no idea how many times I have saved your undeserving _royal_ backside."

"Is that when you aren't hiding behind a tree?"

"That was only the one time, and I wasn't hiding, I was merely –"

"Arthur?" Lunette's voice cut across sharply and Arthur spotted a quick look of annoyance on her face. But it was quickly replaced by an almost sickly sweet smile as she turned to face him, cutting Merlin off hastily. "We aren't in any danger, are we?" she asked, trailing her fingers slowly up his arm.

Glancing quickly at Merlin's expression, Arthur promptly shifted his arm. "No, we are in no danger," he assured her, continuing to walk. "Except perhaps from Merlin's own stupidity," he added quietly.

They had barely taken a few steps, when Merlin once again broke the silence.

"Hey, I was pointing the right way!"

"Merlin… Shut up."

Surprisingly, Merlin did manage to keep his mouth closed for the entire walk to Lunette's residence. But Arthur marvelled at how even then his servant could still get under his skin. Walking deliberately close, Merlin kept bumping rudely into Arthur free arm, jolting the Prince and causing him to walk slightly further away from Lunette so as not to hit her. By the time they stopped outside an impressive, two storied town house; Arthur was quite ready to call it a night.

As they made their way to the door, it was hastily opened from within, and a young woman stood nervously in the doorway, fidgeting apprehensively with the wood.

Merlin quickly glanced over her. She was of average height, with full lips and blue eyes. Her shining hair fell in mahogany waves, and her gaze looked piercing, as if she could penetrate into someone's soul.

She should have been beautiful. She was beautiful. But Merlin's eyes were drawn eagerly to Lunette, and he couldn't think about, let alone focus, on anyone else. Who could compare to Lady Lunette?

But something made Merlin glance back once more, at the other girl.

Their eyes met.

For a second, a spasm of fear shot through Merlin, right down his spine. Locked in place, he stared, panicky, at her, but she had already looked away, back to the rest of his company. It took Merlin a moment for his heart to stop beating so quickly. All thoughts of Lunette pushed completely out his mind, Merlin tried to recollect where he had seen this woman before. It seemed as she hadn't recognised him however, and had shown him complete indifference. But her face was so alike someone he had seen before, he was sure of it. But who?

His careful scrutiny of her features was cut off swiftly though, as Lunette rushed forward to hug her friend tightly. His eyes swiftly catching sight of Lunette's glossy hair and pale skin, he lost track of his train of thought, and forgot all about the eerie feeling of déjà vu he had just experience. After all, what did it matter as long as Lunette was happy?

"Andeline," Lunette gasped, smiling brightly, "I've missed you!"

Although her hug was earnest, and perhaps it was the most outgoing Arthur had seen Lunette all day, he couldn't help but notice how Adeline's hands rested slackly on her friend's back, and her smile was tight, as if forced. _She must probably be uncomfortable with the attention_, he assumed.

Stepping back from Andeline, Lunette gripped her friend's arms. "I have so much to tell you, so much exciting news. Come, let us go inside."

Andeline immediately seemed to jump to attention, and hurried to the doorway anxiously. Lunette however, turned back to Arthur.

"I will see you soon, _my _Prince Arthur." She chimed, and Arthur was reminded of the annual pilgrimage of spoilt princesses that were paraded under his nose. _She's just the same_, he realised.

"Of course, my Lady," he replied, trying to keep his expression of revulsion well hidden with a false smile, and took a careful, but obvious step back.

Lunette's face suddenly lost its sickly beam, and was replaced with an indefinable expression; she looked over him once, before turning, and marching into the house without a second glance, closing the door behind her.

Once inside, she leaned wearily against the shut door, casting her displeasure towards Andeline, who hastily retreated further into the house. But as Lunette stood there, head rested tiredly against the dark wood, she could clearly hear the exchange outside.

A sharp smack resounded loudly from the other side of the door, followed briefly by a pause.

"Ow…! What was that for?"

"Idiot."

* * *

**Phew! Poor Merlin! And poor Arthur! But it was about time Merly used some of his magic, even if it was just for a cheap trick. -Shakes head- You should be ashamed of yourself Merlin, using your awesome power of awesomeness in that way.**

**Wait, who are we kidding, If I had magic, that's totally what I would do. Petty magic tricks for the win!**

**And who is this newbie girl then? What part does she have to play? What in the name of Merlin's neckerchief is going on? Well, I could tell you, but as my good old pal Arty likes to say, "What's the point in having a dog if you fetch the stick yours-" **

**-Stone hits side of head-**

**Simona:****Nice throw.**

**Eleanor:**** Oh, Thank you. **

**Next Chapter: Revelations.**


	7. Revelations

**Ho Ho Ho, MERRY CHRISTMAS!**

**Two days ago. But still! **

**Guess what? One of my friends - who detests Merlin (Yes, something wrong with him) gave me a signed Colin Morgan... picture thing! Wooop! It's by my bed, and I just put it in front of all the pictures of my friends. I think I have my priorities right. **

**You will not believe the number of Merlin related christmas cards I got, it's so awesome. I even gave home made Merlin Christmas cards out to people. But only a select special few people of specialness. Such as Eleanor and Simona ;) **

**Sorry this is a day late! I know some people who read our poetry demand cookies in return for lateness, but well... I just ate them all. Nom nom. But... I have just been writing a new poem for the Whimsical Poetry of Doom, so I get let off, right? **

**Oh, and Eleanor just found more poems! Well, one finished and two half-finished! We won't be running out for at least... 5 weeks! It's a Christmas Miracle! Hallelujah!**

**But yeah, yesterday I was at a party all day -me and Ellie kicking some butt ninja-style on COD- and then at another one all night -feeling like a genius cause I taught someone what little songs I know on guitar-. Needless to say I got back late. As in this morning. **

**So after apologising to the scary two (specially Simona... ) I am finally posting this! Can I hear a Woot Woot! **

**No? Okay... Regardless, I have an excuse. And, also I'm just generally a bit of a dobbin -(Oh yes, my killer vegetable friend :P)**

**Author: Simona

* * *

******

REVELATIONS

Lunette pulled a face at Andeline's basic furnishings. She still wasn't used to the bareness: the uninviting wooden chairs and table, the grubby floor, the dim light – she hated it all! And so did her pet falcon, which seemed to be mirroring her disgust with its noisy, irritable clattering in its cage. It was also probably hungry.

But first things first, after making certain that the prince and his goofy manservant were well out of hearing distance, Lunette stalked over to Andeline, who was huddled at the other side of the room.

"You have failed me, Andeline" she spoke in a soft murmur, which made her sound even more dangerous.

"H-h-how…?" she cowered, aware of Lunette closing the distance between them gradually.

"Prince Arthur is NOT IN LOVE WITH ME!" she shrieked before backhanding her across her face.

Andeline crumpled on the floor, holding the side of her face that received the blow, big, chubby tears gushing from her eyes. The sharp thwack was followed by a stunned silence, eventually broken by Andeline's ragged breathing. She righted herself shakily, summoning up all her courage to stand up to Lunette.

"Well, you must have missed him…" She was meaning to sound confident but her voice fell flat.

"Oh, so now it's my fault is it?" she raised her hand, menacingly.

"No, no, its mine. I'm sorry, I'll make another batch. I'll do whatever. Just please, please don't hurt me" she pleaded; cried.

"That's better" she bitterly spat.

She slowly wheedled out a live mouse from a shabby box next to the cage and dangled it over her falcon, its eyes perking up at the sight of a much awaited meal.

"I'm sure that Uther would be _very_ interested to hear there is a sorcerer in town…"

"You said you wouldn't tell," Andeline sniffed, "You promised."

Lunette tittered, "Oh, I won't _if_ you do as I say – and if you don't…"

She let the mouse go.

* * *

Lunette went straight over to the window in Andeline's stuffy bedroom, which was now _her_ stuffy bedroom, and unbolted the shutters. The stars twirled and danced across the sky; the moon oversaw their performance with indifference. A draught swirled around her, letting her head become clear and allowing her thoughts to collect themselves.

She settled down at the desk and opened her weathered diary at a new fresh page.

_Dear Diary_, she began. She thought it important to write the details of her day down so as to organise herself and make sure she was on track. Her diary was the only thing that knew the full extent of her plan. She was going to make sure that her parents rued the day they _ever _cast her aside and that they felt the degree of disappointment and anguish that they had inflicted on her over the years. Arthur was just a pawn in Lunette's lethal game of chess, a simple being that would be manipulated and ultimately discarded in her pursuit of revenge. He was the vital link to her gaining control of Camelot, a step that was necessary so as to match Cantia's power and strength and eventually overpower it. That was when her parents would fall at her knees, begging for mercy but they would receive none. Check and mate.

She smiled and closed the diary. Everything was coming together. She just had to make sure that is stayed that way.

* * *

She marched back into the front room, finding Andeline tidying absently. No matter how much tidying Andeline did, the dwelling never looked at all enhanced. Andeline turned around sharply, like a servant caught doing something they shouldn't be.

"I want another batch of the potion made," she demanded, to which Andeline nodded, "But this time, _double _the strength."

"But that has never been done, it could be dangerous…" Andeline warned, clearly fearful of the idea. Lunette shrugged it off.

"It'll be more dangerous for _you _if you don't do as I say" she reminded her and Andeline recalled the mouse from earlier, tears forming as she did so. Lunette walked over to the door and took her cloak, draping it over her body.

"Now, when I come back, I expect to see a batch waiting for me." she commanded, her hand securely around the door knob.

"But, where are you going?" Andeline was intrigued, Lunette normally stayed out of sight during the night…

"That's none of your business" and with that she stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her. A tear trickled down Andeline's face.

* * *

Andeline walked over to a cupboard and took out an azure palm-sized crystal wrapped in a mesh of silk. She held it in both hands and her eyes blazed as she spoke her message:

"Sister, why haven't you answered my pleas? I need you. Help me, please." Her voice faltered as the crystal flickered in her hands, afterwards as always. She wrapped it back up and slipped it back in the jar, marked "Dressings", and into the cupboard.

* * *

The castle was hushed as Lunette swept along the corridors, casting shadows against the walls. If she was to be a regular guest, she might as well source out clandestine passages, nooks and crannies for hiding in or just escaping notice.

Her blazing torch introduced her to the decorative corridors with intricate ceiling sculptures and banners with the Pendragon emblem. She became aware of a set of stairs drenched in obscurity, leading downwards. Her inquisitiveness directed her down, with a steady hand, into a dingy dungeon area. She walked through the various folds of the prison area, admiring the craftsmanship of the holding cells. She imagined people rotting in them, much to her amusement.

She was so absorbed in her putrid fantasy; she did not detect the figure looming behind her.

"Stop or I'll run you through." the figure jabbed a sword into her back, making her jerk, dropping the torch.

"Now, reveal yourself." she did as the empowering voice asked, taking off her hood as she did so. It was only Leon, an escort from before.

"Oh! My lady, I'm so sorry, I did not mean to startle you." he concealed his sword and bowed apologetically in his disbelief. He bent down and picked up her torch, placing it in a vacant torch holder.

"It's alright, Leon."

"May I ask as to why you are here?" he interrogated.

Lunette clutched at ideas in her head, trying to find a suitable excuse.

"I… couldn't sleep!" She looked at Leon, seeing if he bought it. He looked at her like he was questioning her story but otherwise went along with it, guiding her back out into the passageway.

"The king has that problem, now and again - ever since the untimely death of his wife. In fact he's in the council chambers right now - would you like me to take you to him?"

"If he doesn't mind my presence."

* * *

The doors swung open as Leon and Lunette walked over to the king. Uther watched them with interest, something that the papers in front of him failed to do.

The room was lit abundantly with candles, their soft glow enveloping the wide space with warmth. The table set in front of Uther was slumped with parchment and papers, which normally got the king drowsy. They both bowed just before him.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" Uther addressed them.

"I found Lunette wandering around the castle, my lord. She claims that she cannot sleep so I thought she might want to accompany you" Leon accounted.

"Oh, well thank you for the thought." he told Leon, whilst making space, "Here, sit." he directed at Lunette, patting the seat.

Leon bowed once more and walked out of the room while Lunette took up the kings' offer of a seat. She undid her cloak and adorned it over the back of her chair.

"Does wandering usually make you drift off to sleep?" Uther pried, thinking of trying the technique himself if the results were good.

"No, not really, I was just interested in the castle itself, my lord" she told the partial truth.

"Oh, would you like a tour?" he asked, shuffling papers together in a messy arrangement.

"No, please do not trouble yourself, sire"

"It would be no trouble at all." he insisted, rising from his seat. As Lunette rose, taking her cloak in hand, he offered her his arm.

"Shall we?"

* * *

They had paraded the great lengths of the hallways, Uther providing the history and the personal stories, such as "Arthur first walked along here" and "This was where Arthur had accidentally locked himself in, when he had been playing hide 'n' seek at his 6th birthday", while Lunette granted the eager ear. As the journey drew full circle, Uther looked like he had just struck gold.

"Lunette, I am thinking of having a kind of special feast tomorrow and I would be honoured if you were to make an appearance." he invited her.

"Oh, what is the occasion?"

"Well… it's for you. A way of… formally welcoming you to the kingdom."

"You do not need to go into all that trouble for my sake, sire"

"Lunette, honestly, it would be no trouble at all." he brushed off her qualms.

"I'm not sure…" she hesitated.

"Of course, Arthur would be overjoyed if we were to host such a feast in your honour…" he coaxed.

"Then I would love to, my lord" It was the perfect opportunity and possibly the only that she would get to giving Arthur the potion.

"Very good," Uther appraised her decision, "Actually, there is something else too. I was going to present you with it tomorrow but I feel it would be more fit to give it to you now, to prevent embarrassing you."

"Oh, what is it, sire?" But Uther just tapped his nose knowingly, escorting her back into the council chambers.

At the door, he summoned a knight to bring him the 'item' on the table in his chambers. Uther would not even give her a clue of what is was, telling her again and again that she would find out soon enough.

Soon enough, the knight returned with an object gauzed in cloth. He ambled up to them, stopping and bowing of course, and held the article in front of Lunette. Uther, in a grand manner, swiped the cloth off of the object, exposing an expertly crafted bow; polished, smooth and just waiting to be used. Lunette's voice caught in her throat.

"My gift to you, a way of saying sorry for that appalling encounter you had with those rogues in my kingdom."

"It's magnificent… but I cannot accept this, my lord."

"Oh, nonsense," he waved away her refusal, "It's the least I can do."

"Well, thank you, sire, you are most kind."

* * *

Since Lunette was fortunately out of the way, Andeline continued tiding up her already clean dwelling. She cleaned around Lunette's hideous 'pet'; that vicious, shrill nuisance, who seemed compelled to make its presence known when Lunette was gone; flicking the bones of the unfortunate mice it was fed onto the floor, squawking at her in a deathly silence, scaring her witless, and she was sure that at times it had given her the evil eyes. She played with the idea that if Lunette was born as a bird, then this could possibly be her. Actually there was no denying it – this bird _was_ Lunette.

After being thoroughly given cold stares from the pest while she cleaned up after it, she went into a surreptitious drawer and pulled out her book of magic.

The book had been handed down generations throughout her family, the outside was worn and had symbols engraved on it: spells written in the handwriting of dozens of her ancestors for easy access. The seal, an owl with two shimmering amethyst eyes, was rusted and broken, and inside the pages were folded, scribbled on, splattered with various potions and some were even ripped out and stuck back in, in the wrong chapters – sometimes half the concoction was at the front of the book whereas the other was upside down and at the end. Even so, the book still had its use.

She flipped to the section on love enchantments, looking for the charm she used for the previous set of the potion. Having made sure she had enough of the required ingredients, she read to see if the potion could be strengthened. She found the paragraph and read aloud:

"The concoction has a vague, enigmatic origin; most of the said ingredients were predominantly used in the magic of the Old Religion-"

"Squawk!" the falcon interjected, making her jolt. She continued:

"Its potency can be changed to suit-"

"SQUAWK!" it screeched again, banging its beak against the ornate bars. She ignored it and returned to reading:

"… based on the measure of cinquefoil sprigs, of seven leaflets-"

"SQUAWK SQUAWK!" it was pushing her, she turned to face it and bared her teeth.

"You want to do that again?" she tested.

"SQU-"

_"Ádumbe." _she held out her hand towards the infernal bother, her eyes turning a sparkling honey, and it ceased to utter a single sound. Its beak pecked the air but nothing sprung from its maw. The spell would wear off in a few hours, giving her enough time to concoct the potion without disruption. She went back to the spell book and finished reading:

"Its potency can be changed to suit, based on the measure of cinquefoil sprigs, of seven leaflets, blended into the potion. Even so, dissimilar entities can feel different depths of passion – if their will can not endure the charms potent manifestation, then it will indubitably lead to the demise of their inner selves."

So she was right - it _was_ dangerous, but try explaining that to Lunette; she thought she was invincible.

Reluctantly she took out two sprigs of cinquefoil, bearing in mind that last time she had only used half of one, and placed them in her mortar. She then added the rest: 3 pinches of nutmeg; 9 basil leaves; 6 fresh rose petals; 9 drops of vanilla and 1 ginseng root, cut into 9 equal pieces. Once grinded, she set a basin of amber oil alight with a flick of her hand and added the pulp to it. It fizzled and released a cerise smoke which slowly shifted into scarlet and finally settled into an intense violet. Andeline placed her hands over the potion surely and recited the charm:

"_Gefiel þæt síþwíf, ácwinc þegnlicum, brýcse þá woruldgálnesse, ondruncne þæm síþwífe þære éste_." her eyes flushed in an ochre tone and the concoction sputtered out. She found an empty vial in one of her cupboards and, with a spoon, dispensed the liquid into it and positioned a stopper. She left it out on the table for Lunette while she cleared all of her utensils away.

A breeze swept into the room, briskly brushing up against her and rifling through the pages overflowing with curses and charms which were now in her possession. _Had Lunette left a window open_? She griped. She walked into the sleeping quarters, which Lunette had taken over on the night of her arrival and which Andeline hadn't stepped into since.

There wasn't much of a difference: a few luxurious dresses were wilting against a chair next to _her_ bed; the desk, which had been on the right of the window, was now directly underneath it, its shutters wide open and, on a stand, was a graceful, slim white gown. Its tight bodice, criss-crossed with cerulean lace, grew out into a shimmering silk dress with a lengthy trail at the back. _So that was her plan… _

She suddenly remembered why she had walked into the room and went over and fastened the shutters firmly, after a gruff gust of wind exposed the pages of an unadorned, battered hardback resting on the desk. The pages were scrawled with what she guessed was Lunette's writing and she didn't mean to snoop but her curiosity got the better of her.

_Dear Diary_, it started…

* * *

"Lunette! Uh… this is Dristan." Cundrie flushed, gesturing towards the tall, brawny man stood before her daughter in all his glory. Lunette looked away from him and her mother, who wasn't wearing much, either… Her hair covered up her chest; exposed by her ravaged corset and, _thankfully_, they hadn't got round to ransacking her petticoat. 'Dristan', on the other hand, was much more forward in his undressing.

She huffed; _couldn't her mother control her urges for once_? _Why did she have to be such a dog…_?

"I thought _Sir_ Dristan was here on other affairs." she asked of her mother, although why she called her 'mother' she didn't know – she certainly didn't act like one.

"And… this is one of them…" Cundrie grinned as Dristan leered at her, clearly not ashamed of standing stark naked in front of Lunette. Well, that was one thing he had in common with her mother…

"So…" Dristan felt a need to become part of the conversation, "Who are you?"

"This is my daughter, Lunette." Cundrie explained, as his jaw went slack.

"Well… you didn't mention _her_." he shot Lunette a look before grabbing his discarded trousers off the floor.

"Well, _she's_ not important." she justified, while he,_ finally_, covered up, "And I don't see why it should matter, I mean, it doesn't change anything…"

"Oh no… it doesn't change_ anything_ at all!" he scoffed, "By the way, is there a husband who you also felt was not important to mention?"

"No!" Cundrie started to get exasperated – _why did Lunette have to ruin everything good in her life_?

"Why are you being so difficult?" she inquired, "And _why _are you putting your clothes back on?" she posed as he buttoned his shirt.

"Because! When this affair started I thought it was just me and you. Now I find you have all these other ties and relations, and _frankly_, I don't want them. I only want you." he walked over to her, smiling coyly.

"I want you too." she gushed.

"Well, then, you'll have to choose – It's either me or _her_." he told her sternly.

"I choose… you." she smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"WHAT? But mother… where will I go?" Lunette panicked, unexpectedly realising just how dependent she was on her mother. How could she do this to her, her _only_ daughter? Cundrie shrugged slightly.

"I think it's time your father looked after you…"

"My father? Where does he live? What is he like?" Lunette finally found the chance to approach the subject again after her mother persistently avoided it.

"Yes, yes, you'll meet him later…" Cundrie rushed, returning her attention back to Dristan, "Now, Lunette, _darling_, be sure to close the door on your way out…" she requested in that nauseatingly syrupy voice of hers.

"But…"

There was no use; he was already at her mother's neck as she hastily undid the buttons of his shirt.

She closed the door with a bang and held it together. Just. But once she had reached the threshold of her room, she bawled hysterically, _thankfully_ hidden from sight.

* * *

The sun had set behind the clouds and they were in the part of the kingdom which was stricken with wrongdoing. She walked behind her mother, carrying her bags in hand as an eerie wind blew through the hushed lane. All those years that she had lived in the kingdom and she never guessed her father had lived in it too. They ultimately came to a shady house in which there seemed to be no light being emitted from within.

This didn't stop her mother as she went up and tapped on the door. Nothing. She tried it again until a muffled voice came from somewhere near the back of the house.

"There's nobody home! Go away!" it directed and a giggle arose from inside.

"Mortimer, if you don't get out here right this second, I swear, I will have you executed… and your little bed mate!" her mother cautioned him.

After a few minutes of shuffling, an unkempt, toned man with a cheeky sparkle in his eyes, sprung the door open and looked at them both petulantly before fixing them a smile.

"Ah, Cundrie, to what do I owe this pleasure?" he enquired.

"Mortimer, this is your daughter, Lunette, Lunette, this is your father Mortimer" she introduced them, "Now that you two know each other, I'll leave you two to bond. Have fun!" she turned to walk away but Mortimer grabbed her roughly by the arm.

"Cundrie, a word…" he let her into the house and closed the door. Lunette scuffled forward and pressed her ear against the door.

"You can't just dump her on me! I have a life!" he disputed.

"Well, I just did. Deal with it. I've had to look after her all these years, _alone_, isn't it time I got _my_ life back?"

"But, I don't want _her_."

"Well, I didn't want her either but _you _thrust her upon me."

"Aww, come on, I'm not that bad…"

"Ah hem" a third voice came from inside, "The bed's getting pretty lonely without you…"

"Lorna, I promise I will be there in a second, after I deal with _this_." he swore.

"Ok, don't take too long…" her voice was already fading as she went back to the bedroom.

"You've had your fun, now let me have mine." were Cundrie's final words before she opened the door, just after Lunette had stepped back a few paces.

"But…"

Her mother ignored him, gave Lunette one of her sickly sweet smiles and advanced back towards the castle. Mortimer just stared at her retreating body.

He finally looked at Lunette clearly for the first time; saw the resemblance she had with her mother and himself. Cundrie hadn't being lying, this child was his.

"Well, I suppose you'd better come in" he opened the door wider and motioned for her to go inside.

Lunette walked into the cramped, dull home and placed her bags on the floor by the table and chairs.

"Well, if I'd known you were coming I'd have made up a bed for you…" he put into plain words, scratching at his head.

"The floor is fine." Lunette settled, thinking that she could use some of her bags as pillows.

"Oh well, ok… You aren't hungry, are you?" he looked like he hoped she would say 'no'.

"I'm fine, thanks." she politely answered.

"Oh good, because I didn't have any food anyway" he sighed, "Right, so you make yourself at home and I'll… go back to, uh – Good night!" he sped off back into the bedroom, where 'Lorna' was waiting, offering her no tour, no blanket or bed linen and certainly no sign that she was a welcome guest in his house.

* * *

The handle turned on the front door. Andeline quickly closed the diary and rushed back into the front room before Lunette caught her looking through her things.

Lunette took off her cloak and placed it on the hook by the door, disclosing an unfamiliar bow under her shoulder. She saw the bottle waiting for her on the table and Andeline standing pertly on the other side of the room.

"There you are, just as you asked; double strength." she rambled.

Lunette took the bottle in her hands.

"Thank you." she spoke to her as if she was brainless and gave her a slight smile but otherwise went off into her room.

"SQUAWK!" the falcon found its voice at last.

_How charming_, Andeline muttered.

* * *

**Indeed. How very charming. **

**What a piece of work Lunette is. Oh dear... Poor Merlin. Hah, he isn't even in the chapter and yet a feel sorry for him.**

**What's going to happen at this feasty feast, eh? **

**Please feel free to review... "Pains me to admit it, but I do enjoy your surly retorts, infact it's probably your only redeemable feature." **

**Ohhh... burn! That was Arthur! Not me! Shut it Arty, don't be rude to the readers! **

**Next Chapter: Of Girls and Goblets (Ohh, sounds like fun) **


	8. Of Girls and Goblets

**Greetings peeps! How is it going? **

**Happy new year! Hope you had a good time, wherever you were. If it was somewhere warm then I am jealous - Scotland is just one big icicle. **

**Well... for once, and this may shock you, but I don't really have anything to say. Please read our two other new wee one-shots; one by me about Merly's birthday, and another short but sweet and sad one by Simona about New Year's day... well night... or stroke of midnight, whatever that is. **

**Anyhoos, on with the chapter, written by my favourite red headed person ever! - Well, apart from my mum. So second favourite. ;) **

**Author - Eleanor**

* * *

Of Girls and Goblets

Arthur came in from training fuming. An unlucky servant had had to inform him to finish early so as to get ready for the feast. Evidently Arthur was not amused.

"I mean, how are we to defend Camelot when our training sessions are interrupted by _parties_?" the young prince ranted, as he threw his muddy boots across the room.

Merlin didn't know what to say. He privately agreed with Arthur, but it wasn't really his place to give his opinion. He had something more pressing on his mind anyway. He had to make up an excuse as to why he wasn't also going to the feast. He absent-mindedly went over to pick up one of the boots.

"I just wanted to tell you, sire, that I will not be working at the feast tonight. I have to, er, collect some herbs." Merlin interjected.

This was followed by silence. Merlin dared to turn around. Arthur was staring at him with disbelief written all over his face.

"Merlin." Arthur said disparagingly, "If I had a gold coin for every time I've heard that excuse –"

"Ah, but this time I really mean it!" cut in Merlin, a bit too defensively.

"Oh really? Well then, what herbs?" asked Arthur, determined to prove Merlin a fraud.

"Um… paxley and vervain?" Merlin said, his hopeful tone just adding to his unauthenticity.

"And why do you have to go _tonight_?" grilled Arthur, folding his arms. He was enjoying this, but his sarcastic face betrayed none of his emotions.

"Tomorrow is a new moon," Merlin invented wildly, "Vervain has to be picked while the moon is waning, otherwise its potency is greatly reduced. This is my last chance; otherwise I'll have to wait another month. And one of Gaius' patients could die within the _week_ if they don't get it. So you see, a '_party_' as you say, is not nearly as important as a man's life. I mean –"

"Shut up Merlin!" shouted Arthur, over Merlin's babbling. The proud prince walked over and stared deep into Merlin's eyes, as if he would find the truth hidden there. Finally he gave up. "Fine, do whatever you want." Arthur said, defeated. He still didn't believe Merlin, but he had no choice but to let him go, seeing as he put up such a good fight.

Merlin allowed himself a quick, victorious grin. This was a mistake, or at least, failing to hide it from Arthur was a mistake, as he was given a light slap on the back of the head.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, though it didn't really hurt, "What was that for?"

"Not telling the truth!" said Arthur sullenly, his heart no longer in the matter. He was back to being angry about the loss of a good hour's training. He went over to his bed and sat down heavily on the end, thinking hard.

Merlin wandered around the room, picking up the other boot as he went. He was just stowing them away in a cupboard when the door burst open.

Uther Pendragon, King of Camelot stood in the doorway. His trademark Camelot-crimson cape was slung around his shoulders and his ceremonial crown adorned his head. Merlin braced himself as Uther's face changed instantly. He had entered with a hopeful expression, but now there was only rage.

"What are you wearing?" Uther demanded hotly.

"My dinner outfit," said Arthur sarcastically.

There was a badly-concealed snort from Merlin's corner. Uther whirled around and glared at the perpetrator. When they made eye contact, Merlin mumbled something vaguely apologetic, bowed stiffly and scuttled out of the room, to _collect herbs_.

"Arthur, this is not a joke." Said Uther threateningly, as soon as they were alone, "I want you dressed, _properly_, and in the Great Hall in half an hour. You are not missing this feast."

"But Father –" began Arthur.

"What?" shouted Uther impatiently.

"I know you think the Lady Lunette and I… That we should spend more time together…But the truth is, Father, that I am not attracted to her in any way." He rushed the last part of this sentence; it embarrassed him to discuss matters of the heart with his father, usually such a serious man.

Uther sighed and walked to the window, gazing out over his kingdom, lighting the night sky with its torches – a safe haven to those within, but a stark warning to those outside. "Arthur, our relationships in the East are at an all-time low. A marriage between the lands of Camelot and Cantia would bring the two closer together. It could open up a multitude of possibilities –" He broke off as he saw his son's disbelieving face, "Just, at least be grateful she's a looker!" Uther eventually shouted, equally as embarrassed as his son, but evidently thinking it was important to instil some gratitude in his son. With that, Uther abruptly stormed out, leaving an abashed and confused Arthur to gather his jumbled thoughts.

* * *

Half an hour later, Uther and a now well-dressed but still sulking Arthur were sitting in the Hall surrounded by party-goers. The guest of honour, the Lady Lunette sat (rather strategically on Uther's part) beside Arthur and tried, rather unsuccessfully to make small-talk with the young prince.

Arthur gulped down his goblet of wine and called for another. As soon as it was brought Lunette stood up abruptly and turned to him.

"Would you please accompany me on a small walk, sire?" she asked.

Arthur eyed his goblet, trying to think of an excuse.

"You can bring your wine!" Lunette laughed prettily, noticing where his gaze lay.

Arthur was still unsure, until his father jabbed him in the ribs good-naturedly but unnecessarily hard.

"Don't forget your manners, Arthur, accompany the Lady!" Uther laughed, a little too loudly for a sober man.

Arthur grimaced, took his goblet of wine and followed Lunette out the door onto the balcony, unnoticed by the now very drunken crowd.

They walked for a while in the crisp night air. Arthur then stopped to gaze out over the lights of Camelot, his actions unconsciously mirroring almost exactly those of his father's only hours ago. He put his goblet down on the low wall between them.

"Lady Lunette –" he began, deliberately not looking at her.

"Just Lunette, my lord." She cut in quickly, delicately removing a small phial of clear liquid from within her fancy dress sleeve.

"Well, then, you must call me Arthur!" laughed the prince uneasily, "I was just wondering if you are aware of the slightly delicate situation in which I am placed."

Lunette had now discreetly begun to pour the liquid into Arthur's unguarded goblet. "I am not quite sure what you mean, Arthur…"

Arthur looked as if he was about to say something, but thought better of it and broke off to take a sip of wine. Lunette swiftly and skilfully withdrew her arm, concealed the phial in her sleeve once more, and smiled dazzlingly up at him.

Deciding one sip was not enough; Arthur downed some more of the goblet in one big gulp. A slow, stupid smile spread across his face and he looked curiously at Lunette before a change came over him. He gasped and staggered backwards, throwing out his hand to try and regain his balance. The goblet flew from his slack grasp and spilled some of the crimson liquid on Lunette and her golden dress, before it fell to the floor, spilling more, and rolled away.

Unfortunately, when throwing out his hand he caught hold of Lunette's arm. The flimsy fabric of her dress tore easily in his strong grasp and he fell. The previously concealed phial, now empty, fell with a muted tinkle onto the floor.

Arthur was out cold, lying on the stone slabs of the balcony. Lunette looked down at him triumphantly, and allowed herself one small smile of satisfaction before calling for help.

A knight came charging along the balcony at once. He saw the unconscious prince on the ground and stooped down to help.

"I think he may have had too much to drink!" laughed Lunette uneasily.

The knight looked up and nodded, "Indeed, the smell of ale is strong upon his breath, m'lady."

"Maybe you should carry him up to his chambers so he can… sleep it off?" Lunette suggested to the seemingly dim knight.

"Ah, yes, of course. Excellent idea!" said the knight. He lifted Arthur with some difficulty onto his shoulder in a very undignified fireman's lift and carried him away.

Left alone on the balcony, Lunette smiled. Everything was going to plan. It would not be long before she was queen. They practically had Uther's blessing; she had not missed the meaningful looks he'd exchanged with his son during the feast, and if she had the old fool wrapped around her little finger, Arthur would be too, soon enough.

She went through the evening in her head once more. Yes, she had everyone fooled. If only she hadn't been interrupted the first time, then she would have hit Arthur and tonight need not have been necessary. But pesky Merlin could easily be held at arm's length. She didn't anticipate any problems from the seemingly unaffected serving boy. Lunette smirked once more and decided to retire to bed as well. Her job here was done. For now.

Forgotten by the smiling woman in her moment of triumph, the phial lay shattered on the ground. Nearby, the goblet bled the remainder of its contents into the cracks of the flagstones, just as Lunette had bled her way into the very heart of Camelot like a poison.

* * *

**Oh dear, looks like Arthur didn't have such a fabby feast after all - not that he expected it to be good. **

**Please review, it makes us all so happy, so please do. I'm not ordering you or anything, but as good old Morgause likes to say - "Trust me, awesome readers of this story, when I am threatening you, you'll know about it."**

**Okay, so that may not be the _exact_ quote, but it is pretty much correct. **

**Thank y'all! **

**Next Chapter - Fisticuffs At Dawn (Part One)**


	9. Fisticuffs At Dawn Part 1

**Hola! How's it going? More snow here. Again. It won't go away! Argh! Ice, Ice baby... dum dum dum dada dum dum... **

**Anywhoos, enough of me moaning... **

**Oh with the chapter! Yes, this is a part one... Part two gets a lot more fun. And I had great fun writing it. **

**If you have been following the story so far, perhaps you may meet someone who we already know.. Maybe more than one person... Ohh, the drama! **

**Author: MEEEEEEE! (Sorry, tad carried away, it's Catherine. Which is me, so meh.) **

* * *

Fisticuffs At Dawn (Part 1)

Ignoramus.

That, Merlin decided, was his word of the day. Ignoramus.

He liked to think up these discarded words, and keep them carefully stored in the back of his mind for when he might be in need of them. And if Arthur had been there, that was certainly what Merlin would have called him. Because that was exactly what Arthur was.

Merlin doubted very much that Arthur would even have heard of the word, and therefore continued to use the ever aggravating, _idiot _insult on his servant whenever he had the chance. At least, Merlin thought bitterly as he trudged up the street, at least he had variety.

Did Arthur enjoy watching him slave away? Merlin wondered to himself. Waking up earlier than usual, Merlin was shocked to find he felt surprisingly refreshed, and eager to get up. After all, he hadn't had a night off for as long as he had worked for the Prince. In fact, Merlin had been at such a loss for what to do, that he had actually –not that he would ever admit it- spent the time catching up on all the chores he should've done –but never really been bothered to do.

Bounding down the stairs with an energy unseen by him at dawn, Merlin gleefully realised that, in light of the fact that a very animated banquet had taken place last night, Arthur would most likely be out of the count until the very late morning, and even then Merlin knew from experience that the Prince would spend the rest of the day moping around his chambers with the drapes drawn. Which meant Merlin found himself with as good as the day off.

The castle was always very drowsy the morning after a feast, and usually Merlin was part of the lethargic ensemble. But it felt strange to not be present at the feast last night, and part of him wondered about what might have happened in his absence. A small, nagging urge in his brain jumped to exaggerated conclusions, Merlin felt suspicious, - of course he did - and thoughts of Arthur and Lunette did bother him. But when he wasn't near the pair of them, for some reason he didn't feel so jealous, and his love for Lunette which he felt so strongly whenever she was close seemed to fade to a dull numbness. Actually, the more time he spent away from her, the more his conscience plagued him with memories of another.

So, as soon as Merlin had accepted his new found freedom, he had immediately begun to pack to take a trip for that morning. There was someone he needed to visit, to try and understand the guilt that constantly plagued him. He needed to visit her.

And he had made it all the way to the castle gates, as well. And then, right on time, who should appear but his Uncle, claiming there was something he meant to give Merlin when he woke up.

_Merlin,_

_Hope you had fun 'collecting herbs.' Llamrei has pulled a shoe. Get it fixed as soon as you can be bothered to wake up. _

And that was the end of Merlin's short lived day off.

It was wondrous, really, how Arthur managed to even be annoying without actually gracing Merlin with his presence. That was one of Arthur's many increasing useless skills.

"Were you planning on going somewhere?" Gaius had asked him as they had trudged their way back up to the castle.

"Oh…" Merlin paused, hefting his small backpack higher on his shoulders, "No where important."

And so that was why Merlin was stomping his way back from the farrier's several hours later feeling thoroughly put out, and that was most defiantly why Arthur was ignoramus.

Barely watching where he was going, he didn't notice the approach of a person looking equally troubled as he was, until they collided in the middle of the street.

"I am so sorry!" the woman gasped, and grabbed Merlin's forearm to stop herself falling.

"No, I am sorry, it's my fault, I wasn't looking where I was going," Merlin smiled, steadying the woman as their eyes met.

"Wait, I know you, don't I?" Merlin questioned, frowning at the woman before him. She blushed and tried to turn away, but he held her still, she snapped her eyes back to his face once more, and he was stuck with that increasing familiar feeling of déjà vu. "You are Lunette's friend, I saw you last night."

The girl smiled at him, but kept her head carefully averted. "Andeline."

Merlin grinned. "Andeline, of course. I am sorry, again."

"Stop saying sorry," she mumbled.

"Oh, sorry. Wait, I said it again, sorry..."

Andeline laughed a little and straightened her head slightly, exposing it to the sunlight.

"What happened to you?" Merlin gasped, moving to her side to examine the dark bruise covering the temple of her face. "Did someone do this to you?" He asked, voice low and serious.

"No!" She gasped quickly, looking horrified, and hastily tried to cover it up with a sweep if her dark hair. "No," she repeated, "I just slipped and hit my head. It's fine."

"It must hurt…" Merlin persisted.

"Not at all," she insisted.

"It's purple, Andeline."

"Okay, Maybe a little."

"Look, my Uncle is a physician, he can give you something to help your head, in fact I probably could, it's not that complex-"

Andeline cut him off. "No, I don't want to be an inconvenience to anyone; I will just go on my way. Thank you, Merlin."

She tried to leave but once again he stopped her. "See this shop right here?" He asked gesturing to his right, "this is where we get a lot of our supplies from. Just let me go in there and get something for you, it won't take a minute. Please, I want to help." He paused, eyebrows raised. "I won't take no for an answer." He vowed.

There was a moment of silence, in which Andeline desperately tried to avert her eyes, while Merlin fought to keep her gaze.

"Fine!" She exclaimed finally, throwing her hands up in the air with a slight smile on her face. "If you insist."

"Brilliant." Merlin grinned, and offered a bemused Andeline his arm with a flourish. "My Lady, would you care to accompany me into the Herb Merchant's? "

His over-exaggerated performance had the desired effect, and Andeline's light laughter ran down the street. "Thank you, my Lord, it would be my honour," she supplied, taking his arm. "Though I am no lady."

Merlin's smile slipped from his face as he looked distantly at the ground.

"What's wrong?" She queried.

Merlin turned to look at her, a ghost of a smile gracing his features, giving him a strangely haunted look. "Nothing," he murmured, "you just remind me of someone I used to know."

* * *

The first thing that hit you was the smell.

The sharp aroma of the herbs placed haphazardly in jars mixed together to create a relaxing and soothing atmosphere. Shelves were crammed into every free area of wall, and each one was stacked high, with a small footstall resting in the corner. The jars themselves were perched precariously, and although it didn't appear so, small marks on the edges of the glass suggested there was some sort of system to them. Directly opposite the door a sturdy mahogany table was placed, which was covered in pieces of parchments and documents in complete disarray. The area behind the desk was empty.

Merlin walked over to the desk and laid his hand lightly on it, peering into the storeroom beyond. He glanced quickly back at Andeline and saw her standing awkwardly in the doorway, arms folded in front of her. She met his eyes and he saw her uncertainty, and so he smiled reassuringly, hoping to encourage her.

"Mabel?" He called out questionably. Hearing no reply, he drummed his fingers impatiently on the desk.

"Mabel..?" He tried again. There was yet another moment of silence, then a muffled scuffling of chairs could be heard from Mabel's private quarters upstairs.

"One moment, please…" A soft, confident voice echoed down the stairway.

Merlin turned to look back at Andeline with his eyebrows raised. She giggled softly and scuffed the ground with her feet.

The sound of Mabel's feet padding down the stairs brought Merlin's attention back to the counter. Sure enough, seconds later, the woman herself stepped into view. Mabel had the kind of face that you instantly trusted, with kind eyes and weathered skin. Her usually flyway grey hair was tied back from her face, and her usual pleasant smile was visible. She came into the room and her eyes widened at the sight of him.

"Merlin, child! What a surprise." Her eyes quickly danced around the room; a practised movement, and fell her gaze on Andeline.

She paused for a moment, lips parted slightly, and hastily muttered, "I will be right back," and hurried up the stairs.

There was a moment of silence, broken only by the stifled chatter of people outside. "She'll be right back," Merlin mouthed to Andeline, pointing up the stairs. She snorted in amusement.

By the time Mabel had returned, Merlin was stood to one side, pointing out certain jars and herbs to Andeline, who was listening eagerly, surprised at his knowledge. Merlin was pretty chuffed as well; he hadn't even realised how much he had subconsciously picked up from Gaius's constant nattering.

"And what about that one?" Andeline asked enthusiastically, and he could see in her eyes that she was challenging him.

"That one…" Merlin began, squinting at the contents inside, desperately trying to recognise the purple flower. "That's Monkshood! I think…" he trailed off. "Pretty sure it's a painkiller."

"Wow, Merlin, very impressive."

"Well… I'm not a genius or anything, but –"

"Uh huh, and this one?"

Merlin scowled; he recognised that plant. "Belladonna. Creates hallucinations, among things…" he trailed off, lost in past memories.

"What's this then?"

Merlin took and glance at the contents. Hemlock. "Let's not play this game anymore…"

Seeing Mabel stood patiently at the counter, and eager to steer away from the conversation, Merlin made his way over with a cheerful smile.

"Afternoon Merlin," Mabel asked pleasantly, "how are we today?"

"Fine, just working, as always…"

Mabel smiled kindly at him, used to his half-hearted complaining. "Mind that Prince doesn't work you too hard now; we can't have you any less than fighting fit."

"Yeah, try telling him that," Merlin scoffed, nodding his head.

She laughed lightly, her eyes twinkling. "What can I do for you and your, ah, friend?"

Hastening Andeline over to the counter, Merlin introduced them. "Mabel, this Is Andeline. Andeline, Mabel."

They both shook hands, Andeline shy and Mabel as welcoming as always. Merlin had always been fond of the old shopkeeper, as she always seemed to be around when Merlin was in need of help. He couldn't count the number of times he had been swamped with chores from both Arthur and Gaius, and Mabel had shown up as if summoned by magic. She was almost like his guardian angel.

"I don't believe we've met before," Mabel conversed, before taking a gasp, her eyes widening. "My dear! What happened to your head?"

Andeline's face instantly turned pink and she averted her head. "Emm… I tripped."

"That's why we are here, Mabel," Merlin helpfully threw in. "I was hoping I could get some valerian? That would help, wouldn't it?"

She surveyed Merlin for a moment, before smiling broadly. "You're learning, Merlin. I'll bet Gaius is proud."

"Don't tell him!" Merlin panicked. "As soon as he finds out I actually find some of this stuff interesting he will start trying to teach me! Books… so many books…" He trailed off, terror evident.

Patting him on the arm as she walked past, Mabel reached out and brought down a clear round jar, before pulling out a stalk of valerian from within, handing it to him.

"I trust you know how to prepare this?" Seeing Merlin's hesitant nod, she pointed to the storeroom. "Go and make it up then, everything you need is in there. Go on."

As Merlin hurried off and began crushing the herb in a pestle, Mabel turned to survey Andeline. "So," she began confidently, "Now Merlin is out of the way, you can tell me what really happened."

Andeline stuttered for a moment, looking horrified. "I… I don't know what you are talking about," she squeaked.

Mabel smiled and shook her head. "You and I both know that you don't get that kind of bruise," she said, pointing at Andeline's head, "from falling over."

Andeline's voice was quiet, and high pitched. She had never responded well under pressure. "I tripped, I swear I did. No one hit me! I swear I tripped…"

Mabel held her hands up, eyebrows raised. "I understand, I understand, I won't bother you about it anymore. But if it _was_ someone causing this, my advice is simple – Leave. Don't be involved in anything you don't want to."

Andeline frowned, tilting her head. "How….?" But then she seemed to change her mind. "I will keep that in mind, thank you." She said solemnly.

Mabel smiled, and turned to the desk and began sorting files, only glancing back at the storeroom when she heard a muffled crash, followed by a low muttered string of swear words. "I hope you aren't destroying my stuff now," she chided.

"Don't worry!" Merlin called back after a moment, his voice muted through the door. "Everything is completely under con-ouch!"

Mabel chuckled and returned to her work, before fleetingly looking at Andeline again, who was back to studying the herbs.

"So what do you do here in Camelot?"

"Well," Andeline paused, thinking fast. "I am a maid."

"Oh, really?" Mabel asked curious, but with eyes still on the documents. "To whom?"

"I doubt you will have heard of her, she's fairly new…"

"I might," Mabel looked up to meet Andeline fitful gaze.

"The Lady Lunette," Andeline confessed, unable to think up a suitable false name in time.

Mabel stared intently at Andeline for a moment, as if trying to figure something out. Just as Andeline was about to ask what was wrong, Mabel briskly looked back down at the papers. "Never heard of her."

It was hard for Andeline to hide her spontaneous sigh of relief at that news, because there was something about this shopkeeper in front of her which made her very nervous.

"Got any family?" Mabel's questioning tone snapped Andeline out of her thoughts. And she closed her eyes rapidly. _Just lie, you've done it before._

"No. I have none."

Mabel once again looked up, and for a moment Andeline saw a fierce determination in the woman's eyes that made her look strangely wild, and dangerous. And Mabel opened her mouth to speak.

_She knows,_ Andeline thought desperately. _Gods, she knows. Help me, she knows… _

"Finished!" Merlin cried, busting into the room, a bottle held aloft in his hand like a trophy, before pausing at the scene before him. "Is everything okay?" He enquired, frowning. Looking at Andeline's tense posture staring wide-eyed in his direction, Merlin suspected he may have walked in right when he wasn't wanted. Lowering his hand, his eyes danced between the pair carefully, and he watched as Andeline quickly righted herself, shaking her head slightly, and put on a small smile.

"Everything's fine," she said, sounding just a little too bright to be natural. Still cautiously eyeing her, Merlin made his way over to the counter, holding the bottle up for Mabel to see. "Is this correct?"

She took it for a moment, and rolled the contents around, checking the composition with a practised eye. She smiled briefly and held the bottle up to the light, before handing it back to its creator. "Well done, boy." She praised, "A perfect concoction."

Grinning like an idiot, Merlin turned to look gleefully back at Andeline, before frowning slightly and putting a hand in his pocket. "Ah…" He stated, "I may have to pay you back later."

Mabel chuckled lightly and handed him back the remedy. "Don't you worry about paying, dear. This one is free."

Andeline blushed once more, surprised and intrigued by this woman. How could someone appear so warm but so deadly at the same time? She was reminded of the one time she had seen a baby bear, playing contently with pine cones in the Firia Forest near her childhood home. She had been younger then, and curiosity was a guilty indulgence she had been yet to resist. Stumbling towards the young cub, Andeline had been within five metres of the creature when her sister had fled onto the scene, instantly conjuring a pulsating enchanting shield of the brightest gold. Innocent laugher rose from Andeline's lips at the pretty colour, which had instantly turned to a scream when a full grown mother bear had launched itself at the barrier. But her sister had saved her. As always. But that feeling of foolishness had never quite left her; and she has never trusted things at face value since. And this woman was certainly not to be taken at face value.

"Thank you," she mumbled nonetheless, touched by this stranger's gratuity.

Mabel smiled kindly at her, and moved out from behind the counter; a bundle of herbs in hand. "Can you please give these to Gaius, Merlin, I'm sure he is running low on yarrow, what with all the tournaments and young men so eager for bloodshed these days… How they can see battle wounds as an impressive thing I will never understand."

"Trust me, neither will I," Merlin admitted earnestly, and thanked Mabel before leaving the shop with Andeline.

"Take care of yourself," Mabel called kindly as the door swung shut. He went to wave his hand in acknowledgement through the window at her; but she had already disappeared back up the stairs.

* * *

The noise of the market grew louder and louder in his ears as he made his way quickly towards the commotion. But it irritated him; he wished he could swat the entire clamour away like he could a fly, as it was all too distracting. And he couldn't become distracted. She deserved better than half his attention. Someone so perfect required her every whim completed.

Lunette was, however, far too polite.

It wasn't her fault, of course not, but he knew that she wouldn't dare speak harsh words to any man. But if someone was bothering her, upsetting her even, then it was up to him to deal with the situation. Show her that he will always look after her and protect her, like a proper man should.

This… fool needed to be taught a lesson.

There. Talking quietly to someone else, right in the middle of the market. He was going to rue the day that he tried to coerce another man's woman.

Someone got in his way, trying to say his name. But he didn't have time for serving girl troubles, he reasoned as he barged his way past. He had a score to settle.

Gwen stared in shock at the man who had just shoved her roughly to one side. Something wasn't right, and his behaviour put her at unease. So, she did the only thing she could think of, rushing down the street after him, wondering what had happened to her beloved Prince.

* * *

They walked for a moment in silence down the avenue, until they were right amidst the full market; with the street packed tightly and the stalls full to bursting of goods. Andeline glanced at a few of the items, and then turned to Merlin, eager to head home. "So… Thank you, Merlin. It was really kind of you to help me, not many people would have."

Merlin beamed and shook his head, "Don't be so modest, I am sure a lot of people would have been queuing up to help a beautiful lady like yourself."

She laughed sweetly, patted him on the arm and turned to leave.

"Ah, no you don't!" Merlin cried out, pushing though a small crowd to twist his way in front of her. "I think you forgot something," he said, waggling the bottle in her face. She looked down, small smile visible.

"Okay, okay, I have it now. Thank you." She took the bottle and made to sidestep around him, but he once again blocked her path.

"Not a chance," he smirked. "I refuse to let you pass until you drink it."

"But…" She exclaimed, but stopped when Merlin crossed his arms and raised one eyebrow. He really wasn't going to let her pass. "Alright," she scowled, and downed the contents of the bottle in one, before scowling at the taste. "Happy?"She grumbled.

"Ecstatic," Merlin moved to the side and bowed extravagantly. "Good day to you, My Lady." He called loudly, earning him several reproachful stares for passing citizens, but a laugh from Andeline.

"You are strange, Merlin. I will give you that," Andeline uttered as she walked past. Merlin simply smiled at her retreating back, pleased he could help someone in need.

He slowly strolled along the bustling alley, pausing at a small flower stand, eyeing up some purple blooms. Perhaps Gwen would appreciate some, he wondered, remembering seeing the girl near the market around an hour ago, but then suddenly recalled that he had no money. So he may not be able to buy anything, but he could still admire the items on sale. Though in truth, Merlin was procrastinating in an attempt to avoid having to actually go and see Arthur. The ever ignoramus presence in his life.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a group of knights, for once dressed without their customary red cloaks. Among them was Sir Leon, and as their gaze met, Leon smiled and gave a courteous nod. Merlin smiled back cheerily; he had always had a lot of respect for the head knight, who despite the difference in class had always treated Merlin fairly. When the other knights shot jibes in his direction, Sir Leon had made amicable conversation. When the other Knights froze in fear, Leon bravely stood beside his Prince in battle. He was a true knight.

Suddenly someone rammed sharply into Merlin, sending him staggering to one side. Just as he thought he was sure to trip, large rough hands reached out and grabbed him, keeping him steady. He man reminded Merlin of one of Hengist's men, with wild bushy hair and sharp eyes, and he instantly tensed. But the man simply smiled, and then looked seriously at him.

"Be careful." He spoke the words strongly, and gripped Merlin's forearms tightly, as if this was an extremely important statement he had to convey. Merlin nodded, unsure of what to say. As the man walked away, Merlin shook his head in confusion and turned away.

"_Emrys."_

Merlin froze, his every muscle locked into place, his mind chanting at him like a mantra to not react, not to turn around.

So he spun around wildly, eyes frantically darting from face to face. But everyone was moving, bustling past him, talking loudly and walking quickly. Had no one else heard it? Did no one else care?

It must have been in his head, he concluded as he listened to his heart pounding frantically in his ribcage. Someone was trying to talk to him. He paused, but then closed his eyes and tried to focus his mind, tilting it slightly to the side, searching for the whisper of the low voice. He was barged roughly in the shoulder, and staggered for a few steps, again breaking his train of thought. Once more he composed himself, unsure of what exactly to do.

Wait. There. A faint trail, almost a whisper of thought could be heard right on the edge of his consciousness, slowly getting further and further away.

_Wait,_ he thought desperately. _Who are you? _

**Ohh who the hell was that? -Runs down the street- Nope, dammit, he's gone. Guess we won't find out this week folks. Let's see if I can find him by next week though. ;) **

**Oh and Arthur is... Well.. Let's just say if you see him heading towards you, get out the way. He is a man on a mission. **

**Next Week: Crouching Tapsell, Hidden Hendrick (Yep, NOT part two yet, oh how cruel are we.. mwah ha)**

**Thank you and please review! **

**Oh, least I forget, "Merlin Fan For Life," Thank you for your lovely reviews! They are awesome, and I am glad you are liking it. Since you asked, well, in truth it has no definate setting, there is no major spoilers. But now I think on it, it is definatly set after 2x09. As you may see Merly moping about it in this chap. :P Anywhoos, thank you! **


	10. Crouching Tapsell, Hidden Hendrick

**Bonjour! It's Sunday again, so that means another chapter, of course. Hope everyone is well and all, me and Simona we are Eleanor's house on Friday night, and didn't sleep till 5am. Pfft, good times, haven't laughed that long for well... ever. **

**So, here is the chapter, as I am sure you expect, I mean, obviously it's a chapter, it's not just going to be an extremely long author's note with no story... although that sounds like fun...**

**Hem hem, anyways... Enjoy! And say hello to some old -but at the same time fairly new, I guess - friends. **

**Author: Eleanor**

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-Crouching Tapsell, Hidden Hendrick-

Mabel shut the door of her shop behind her and hurriedly crossed the room and went up the stairs.

Upstairs were two small rooms where she cooked, ate and slept above the shop. The larger of the two, her bedroom, was currently occupied by five other people of very different ages, appearances and from all walks of life.

"What is this all about, Mabel?" growled Ansari, pacing around the room with his cloak hood up, as if he was afraid that the Camelot Knights would burst in at any moment, "You know I shouldn't be within Camelot's walls during daylight!"

Mabel swallowed, looking to the others for support. She found it in the deep brown eyes of Tapsell. Looking very small and vulnerable from his perch on a kitchen stool, Tapsell raised his hands with his glittering bejewelled fingers outstretched in a mock gesture of surrender.

"Come, Ansari, Mabel here knows the risks. She wouldn't ask you here unless it was very important, would you Mabel?"

Mabel stood tall. "No. No I wouldn't, Tapsell, thank you." She then cleared her throat and looked around at everyone.

Waldemar was sitting on her bed, dozing lightly, his fez lopsided and the tassel blowing in and out of his face as he snored gently. Isaac the wild-haired warrior sat docilely beside him, giving him a very delicate nudge to wake him up, displaying his (usually well hidden) deep respect for the scholar. Ansari had stopped pacing, but he pulled his cloak hood further over his bald head as if it would conceal him better. Hendrick sat on the floor by Waldemar's feet, not making eye contact with anybody, looking even paler than usual with worry from his father.

"I have brought you all here today," began Mabel, her small voice wavering in the silence, "because I have had a vision."

The others listened more intently. They knew of Mabel's powerful Seeing powers and they knew that to ignore her visions was very dangerous indeed.

"What did you see, Mabel?" asked Waldemar, leaning forwards to scrutinise her face.

"I saw –" began Mabel, before she was interrupted by the bell over her shop door ringing.

The collection of outcasts collectively held their breath as there was silence downstairs.

"Mabel?" a small voice called.

Mabel breathed a sigh of relief. "It's Merlin," she whispered to the others. They all understood, and looked at one another in curiosity and excitement.

"Mabel?" Merlin's voice came up the stairs again.

This time, Tapsell couldn't contain himself and stood up abruptly, his stool scraping backwards across the floor.

Hendrick gasped. In the silence, the noise had seemed to echo around the room.

Mabel opened the door down the stairs and called down, "One moment please…" her voice sounding more confident than she really was, her hands trembling.

She looked around at the others. They all made motioning noises for her to go down the stairs, which she did reluctantly.

Once she had gone, taking care to shut the door behind her, the others glanced at each other warily, not daring to breathe a single word. It must have only been minutes, but it felt like hours to the group, when Mabel trudged back up the stairs.

"What happened?" asked Ansari as soon as she shut the door behind her, noting her troubled expression.

"It's the Sister. She's there, with him." Mabel said, her eyes wide with shock.

"What? But this isn't how it's supposed to happen…" wondered Isaac aloud.

"Yes, but you see Isaac, the future is flexible. Every little decision we make can have an impact on our future – no matter how great or small." Added Waldemar wisely.

"Yes, something must have happened in order for this meeting to have been brought forward. But that is no matter – what we need to do now, is decide our plan of action." Said Ansari, bringing everyone out of their thoughts.

"We need to keep a close eye on her." Said Tapsell.

"I can question her, if you like?" asked Mabel, "I can get her alone and…gently ask her a few questions."

"Excellent, Mabel. See to it that you find some answers, too." Said Ansari pensively.

"The Sister may lead us to Her. I suspect She is still hiding in Camelot, lying low for a while. But I sense trouble brewing. She has not been idle with her time." Interjected Waldemar gravely.

"That's what my vision was about – She is going to bring great trouble, our poor warlock is going to be tested indeed!" cried Mabel, in distress at the thought of the young warlock's strife.

Ansari crossed the room and placed both hands on Mabel's shoulders.

"It's ok, Mabel. No harm will come to the boy as long as there are still those alive, who once undertook a sacred oath to protect both him and the lands of Camelot." He said, "Now, take a deep breath and go back downstairs and get us some information."

Mabel did as she was told, inhaling deeply. She then turned to go out the room for a third time.

The party looked uneasily at one another. Hendrick hastily suppressed a sneeze, but the muffled effects still sounded far too loud, and each person was thinking that the knights of Camelot would surely come bursting in on them any moment.

The tense silence became altogether too much for Ansari. He padded lightly – a practised movement – across the room and gathered up Hendrick, drawing him to the corner and throwing his cloak over him, so that at a glance, he was invisible amongst the general clutter of Mabel's quarters. Ansari himself took up a defensive pose, unsheathing a small concealed knife from his boot and weighing it in one hand.

His head now devoid of its hood, the pale symbols upon it seemed to glow, contrasting with his dark skin and the general gloom of the bedroom. Everyone's eyes were unconsciously drawn to the ancient writings, but none could decipher them – they had tried before, but the language was long lost.

The silence drew on and on, but it was finally interrupted by a tinkling from the bell above the door that signalled the customers' exit. Mabel's worry-lined face appeared through the bedroom door only a few moments later.

"They're gone?" grunted Isaac suspiciously.

"Yes. I thought they never would!" sighed Mabel, wiping her brow with a handkerchief. Hendrick appeared from under his father's cloak in the corner now that the coast was clear, and Ansari re-sheathed his knife in one fluid movement.

"So…? Did you find out anything, Mabel?" asked Ansari, quick to get to the point.

"Yes… And no…" began Mabel carefully. After a warning glance from Ansari she continued, "The Sister – she '_tripped_' and hit her face," Mabel shook her head, "If I had a gold coin for every time I heard that excuse…"

"Mabel!" cried Hendrick, his tense expression mirroring that of his father's.

"Right, sorry. She claims she is a maid, to the _Lady Lunette_." Said Mabel dramatically, emphasising the name.

"Oh no! This cannot be!" shouted Isaac in alarm, "If an alliance is formed…"

"Yes, Isaac, we know." Said Ansari calmly, "And her noble status definitely complicates things. But tell us Mabel, what else did you discover?"

"She claims to have no family, Ansari, but I saw that look in her eyes… I fear I may have been too probing in my questions. She looked terrified. And she was almost certainly lying. About her lack of family, and also about how she got the bruise on her face." Mabel broke off, shaking her head sadly.

"Without being too bold, I would like to add that I believe that this bruise and her, ahem, _career_ serving Lady Lunette may be linked." Said Waldemar cautiously.

"You may be right, Waldemar, but what can we do?" said Tapsell sadly. He had up until this moment remained silent, twisting one of his many rings around his finger, as was his habit when he was nervous.

"We can warn the warlock!" said Hendrick excitedly. He had always been fascinated with stories of the prophecy and of the warlock that was prophesised to aid the prince to ensure it happened.

"Yes, but how…?" Ansari mused.

"Leave that to me!" said Isaac, agitatedly, he hated sitting around doing nothing for too long. He stood up from the bed and darted out of the room, ignoring the pleading cries of the others that followed him down the stairs. None of them tried to follow him, though, instead choosing to trust in the volatile man's judgement.

"What is he going to do?" asked Hendrick uncertainly.

"Warn the young warlock, in his own little way, I suspect!" said Mabel, an amused smile twitching at the corners of her mouth.

Isaac hurried down the street towards the main market, following Merlin's magical residue. That kid had so much power, it practically leaked out of him – providing Isaac with a trail of breadcrumbs right to him.

Isaac saw the young warlock pause distractedly to look at the knights, and saw his opportunity. Without even thinking about what he was about to do, he pushed his way brutally forwards through the crowds and straight into Merlin.

Regaining his bulky balance quicker than most people would expect, he swiftly caught Merlin before he fell too. Isaac smiled in what he hoped was an encouraging way, but then looked into the young warlock's eyes seriously, gripping the boy's forearms tightly.

"Be careful." It was imperative that Merlin understood this. But Isaac couldn't reveal too much, this was the burden of having seen the future. Also, he couldn't look too suspicious, out in public as they were.

Isaac released his grip as Merlin nodded, confused. Isaac despaired of having ever conveyed any kind of important message to him and began walking away unhappily. He had taken a few steps before he thought of what to do. It was genius, pure genius.

"_Emrys._" He pushed the thought out his head and directed it at Merlin, screwing up his face in concentration, but also trying not to break his stride so as not to look suspicious.

Then, satisfied he had gotten some kind of message across to the young warlock, he turned back towards Mabel's shop with his hands in his pockets, quite pleased with himself for his quick use of his rudimentary magic skills.

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**Ah-ha! So now it all makes sense! Or does it? I can't tell, it has always made sense to me cause well... I made up the story, but I was trying to read it from a nonsubjective-acational view. **

**PURPLE ELEPHANT! **

**What? **

**Ahh, I am sleep deprived, cut me a break. **

**Random anecdote here: I unwittingly made the foolish mistake of starting a game of Merlin hangman with Simona in my English class. I sat for what must have been 15 minutes, completely stumped on what she had written. Turns out, she had put down the spell Gaius uses on the box in season 3. I mean, who KNOWS that? How on this earth was I supposed to guess something that is written in Old English? The words don't even look normal! **

**My hangman had been, "I too know the temptations of serving girls." **

**My attempt at ownification failed quite miserably though, because she got it straight away. **

**:(**

**Next Chapter: Fisticuffs at Dawn (Part 2) - Oh Yeah! **

**Please -wait, I was about to say "Read and Review", but I figure you must have already read it- Just Review! **


	11. Fisticuffs At Dawn Part 2

_**Previously on Merlin...: **_

_"Emrys."_

_Merlin froze, his every muscle locked into place, his mind chanting at him like a mantra to not react, not to turn around._

_So he spun around wildly, eyes frantically darting from face to face. But everyone was moving, bustling past him, talking loudly and walking quickly. Had no one else heard it? Did no one else care?_

_It must have been in his head, he concluded as he listened to his heart pounding frantically in his ribcage. Someone was trying to talk to him. He paused, but then closed his eyes and tried to focus his mind, tilting it slightly to the side, searching for the whisper of the low voice. He was barged roughly in the shoulder, and staggered for a few steps, again breaking his train of thought. Once more he composed himself, unsure of what exactly to do._

_Wait. There. A faint trail, almost a whisper of thought could be heard right on the edge of his consciousness, slowly getting further and further away._

_Wait, he thought desperately. __Who are you? _

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**Aloha! Oh yeah, it's time... The moment you've all been waiting for... FISTICUFFS Part 2! Can I hear a woop woop? Oh yeah.. (I am just, once again, assuming that you did indeed woop.) **

**Ahh, I have a maths exam tomorrow, and I am 100% sure, without a shadow of a doubt, that I will fail. Or at least get a C. But that's not failing, so I can't be 100% sure... emm, I will go with 75%. **

**Anywhoos, onwards with the chapter! What oh-so exciting things are about to occur, I wonder? Oh, that drama! :) **

**Author: Catherine **

Fisticuffs At Dawn (Part 2)

All of a sudden, Merlin felt a rough hand clamp down on his shoulder. He instantly turned, his expression somewhere between hopeful and apprehensive, and before he could even make out the person before him, his head exploded with pain.

Merlin staggered to the side, bringing one hand sharply up to press against the side of his head, mind reeling. He gasped for breath and blinked rapidly, trying to clear the tears that had sprung to his eyes. He heard gasps from people around him, but barely registered it. His head…. Who could punch that hard?

Turning sluggishly back around to face his assailant, he shook his head slowly as he turned, but suddenly felt a force crash into his stomach which sent him piling into the dusty ground. He struggled to retaliate as the attacker pushed a rough hand onto his stinging face and pushed it into the dirt. He couldn't breathe, Merlin realised. _He couldn't breathe…. _

After what felt like hours, but was most likely only seconds, the pressure was abruptly lifted off him and he instinctively curled into a ball, sucking in deep breaths of air. Merlin stayed like that for a few seconds, already feeling his body aching, before clumsily struggling to his feet. Standing, he faced the gathered crowd, who all look back at him with varying expressions of pity and surprise. But what most of them were looking at wasn't him, but their attention was focused just behind him. He could hear the other man now, causing a fuss, but was apprehensive about turning to face him. Just when Merlin had mustered the courage, the other man spoke.

"Let go of me!"

Merlin spun around as fast as an arrow, his face in complete shock. Because he recognised that voice, and sure enough, when he finally looked at the man who had punched him, Merlin stumbled back a step.

"A-Arthur?"

The Prince stood before him, a wild fire in his eyes and a fierce grimace on his face. Despite being restrained by Sir Leon and another knight, Arthur was still struggling furiously, trying to break free. "I order you to release me!" He commanded.

The knights shuffled uncomfortably, clearly not at ease disobeying their leader. Hesitant, they all impulsively turned to Sir Leon, who glanced between them and the back to the Prince, before very slightly shaking his head. Seeing this, Arthur swore and began to struggle with even more determination.

"Arthur, what are you doing?" Merlin questioned, taking a small step forward. He had never seen his friend look like this, even in the midst of battle. Arthur's face was complete and utter hate.

"You are just a servant!" Arthur yelled, ignoring the knight's attempts to talk him into reason. "A worthless, useless, good for nothing servant! She doesn't want you tailing her around!"

Merlin looked to one side, taking a breath. That had hurt. He was used to Arthur's ready supply of insults, but they had always been given in a good hearted way, like an inside joke the two of them had shared. But not like this. Arthur didn't say it like this, in front of everyone and spoken with so much loathing. Then he frowned, a thought suddenly striking him.

"Wait…She?"

Arthur scoffed bitterly, a mad smile on his face. "Stop playing stupid, you know exactly who I am talking about."

"But, Arthur, it's never been like that… I mean, she…" Merlin trailed off awkwardly, not wanting to implicate Gwen when there were so many Knights around.

"Don't even say her name!" Arthur roared. "She is a noblewoman and you are nothing!"

Merlin was too confused to even note the harsh insult. "…What?" He questioned rather meekly.

Just as Arthur was about to answer, his attention snapped quickly to the left. Still stuck between the knights, Arthur couldn't move, but his face unexpectedly twisted into a distorted picture of happiness. Merlin, the knights, and the entire watching crowd turned to see who was coming.

It's funny, Merlin realised, that you don't realise how much you missed something until you see it again. And as soon as Lunette's face appeared through the throng of spectators, Merlin's breath hitched in his throat. For a moment it seemed as if time stood still as she stood so perfectly, a small lock of hair misplaced down the side of her cheek. He watched with adoring eyes as Lunette surveyed the scene before her. With a small smile she looked between them, and Merlin felt like the luckiest man in the world. And then she blew a kiss. Softly, sweetly and full of meaning. She blew a kiss.

At Arthur.

Fury bubbled up inside Merlin, and he spun back to face Arthur. His eyes gleamed of hate as he watched Arthur's lovesick expression as he tried to blow kisses back to Lunette, still wriggling piteously in the Knight's grasp.

_This fool needed taught a lesson. _

Taking a deep breath through his teeth, Merlin clenched his fists. Oblivious, the Prince smiled stupidly at Lunette once more. "My love," he exclaimed.

Merlin charged.

The crowd gasped as the scrawny serving boy ran towards the Prince, letting out a ferocious roar that didn't sound anything like him, and would not have been believed had it not been witnessed. He bowled straight into the prince, catching him in the stomach, and the pair tumbled to the dusty ground.

Sir Leon and the other knights recoiled in shock at Merlin's aggressive outburst and stared uselessly as Arthur, now free of his restraints, began fighting back just as viciously as before, the two men both landing blows on each other.

Suddenly emerging out of the rapidly forming dust cloud, Merlin scrambled to his feet, stepping back and glancing around frantically from something to defend himself with. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a startled shopkeeper cowering beside one of the stalls, broom in hand.

"Don't mind me," Merlin gasped as he yanked the broom clean out the man's hands before rolling it experimentally in his hands as he turned back to face a now standing Arthur.

The Prince grinned and tensed his legs slightly, years of battle training serving him well. He had to admit, Merlin had managed to land a few blows, and they made his arms ache as he flexed his muscles. Suddenly, with the lithe of a cat, he sprang at his servant, but received a sharp bash on his temple by the end of the broom. Wincing slightly, he shook his head drowsily, before spotting the broom swinging back towards his head. He ducked quickly, and swung on his heel, grabbing the end of the handle and pulling it sharply, causing Merlin to let go and stagger sideways with the momentum.

Arthur used his foot to pull the end of the broom off and twirled the staff in his hands expertly, feeling more confident already. Merlin, on the other hand, was found weapon-less and as Arthur sauntered towards him, backed quickly into the side of a vegetable stand.

"You know, Merlin," Arthur began, his tone far too nonchalant as he spun the broom faster and faster in a spiral, "I once owned a dog that was smarter than you."

Wiping his now bleeding nose, Merlin clutched the side of the stand and glared at the Prince. "He must have taught you everything you know."

The staff almost struck Merlin straight across the face; however he flung himself to one side and managed to only receive a sharp rap on his shoulder. Desperation coming through, Merlin snatched up a handful of potatoes from the nearby stall and began flinging them one by one at Arthur, while all the while backing quickly away from the Prince.

Arthur growled in annoyance as he attempted to dodge the onslaught of vegetables, and swung his weapon uselessly, but Merlin was too far away.

Merlin reached his last potato, and came to the realisation at the same time as Arthur. The Prince let out of murderous grin and closed the distance between them, only pausing briefly when a final potato bounced sharply against his forehead.

Panicking as Arthur stormed down the distance between them, Merlin stumbled backwards and grabbed the nearest thing he could and flung it at the Prince's face, before turning his back and running around the side of the stalls, pushing his way between the crowds.

Arthur instinctively snapped his face away as the chicken collided with the side of his head, its sharp claws scrabbling for something to hold on to. With nimble side steps, Arthur dodged its flapping wings and spat out a feather from the corner of his mouth, gripping the broom tightly with white knuckles. "You are going to pay for all this, Merlin," he growled, before advancing once more on the boy.

Merlin took a deep breath and turned back to face his adversary. But now, he had a broom too, and the Prince watched with calculated eyes as he removed the brush and held it uncertainty with both hands.

Arthur's eyes narrowed and he began to circle slowly to the left. "No one picks a fight with me and gets away with it. I have more skill and training than anyone in this city."

Matching his strides carefully, forming a perfect ring, Merlin titled his head to one side. "Yeah, I know. And I would be in real trouble if you ever used them."

The Prince swung sharply, and laughed cruelly as Merlin barely dodged the stick. "This can only end badly for you, Merlin. You should have thought about that before you tried to take things that didn't belong to you."

Merlin opened his mouth to retaliate to the taunt, when all of a sudden he felt a cold shiver pass over him. As he continued to circle, he realised what had changed. Lunette had gone. And suddenly, Merlin realised that he really didn't want to fight anymore. It was strange, but one moment ago he was completely intent on seeking revenge on the Prince, and now… he felt sick. And tired, and his bones ached. He made to purse his lips, but the taste of blood running from his nose stopped him.

Merlin just wanted this to end.

"Arthur," he reasoned, "Arthur, listen. Stop this. This is stupid. What are we doing?"

But his friend gave a vain and spiteful laugh, and looked at him with scorn. "We are settling the matter once and for all. You aren't even fit to be in her presence." And with that he broke the circle and pounced at Merlin.

Arthur's attack was brutal and Merlin could barely defend himself, let alone retaliate, he found he was being pushed further and further back and Arthur was pressing with more intensity than Merlin had ever seen in him before. He began to fear that if Arthur won this fight, he may not leave it at that.

Suddenly, the Prince faltered. Seizing the moment, Merlin jumped to the side and used his broom to attack Arthur. Seeing the move coming, Arthur lifted his stick up to meet his. But the counter attack was slow and Merlin thrust his broom down, a disarming move he had seen the Prince do on more than one occasion. The broom caught the edge of Arthur's at an awkward angle, and it gave way, falling to the ground nosily, as Merlin drew on the last of his strength to swipe the handle under Arthur's legs, sending the Prince sprawling into the street.

Arthur lay there, completely winded, as Merlin stood above him, his weapon now held loosely in one hand, clearly no longer needed. The Prince's face was hard to decipher, and Merlin wondered what was running through his friend's head. As if in all of a sudden, Merlin became conscious of the situation, and the fact that there were over forty people staring at him in complete silence.

As he looked at them all, he caught eyes with Sir Leon, who was stood to one side, a look of incredulity written on his features. A silent understanding passed between them, and Merlin took one last piteous glance at Arthur before turning away, casting his stick roughly down on the ground beside.

He had barely made it five steps before the entire spectating crowd gasped, and he felt the air dash past him as the ground rushed up to meet his face. Merlin landed heavily on his stomach and felt his head rap painfully on the earth. He quickly pushed his hands in front of him and rolled onto his back, and froze at the sight of the glistening blade.

Arthur towered above him, an expression of pure malice on his face, mud and feathers matting in his hair giving him a wild look, and his sword held steady as a rock.

"You never learn, do you?" He whispered with menace, but the silent street allowed the words to travel to everyone present. "Never…" the sword picked his skin sharply, "turn your back on an opponent."

"Sire!" Sir Leon stepped forward from the masses, clearly concerned for Merlin's safety. Arthur paused to look at him, before seemingly taking in the situation for the first time, and glancing briefly at the crowd. He reverted his eyes back to Merlin once more, who lay frozen to the spot like a frightened rabbit, the end of the sword nicking his skin cruelly.

There was a beat of absolute quietness, before Arthur drew his sword away from his servant, paused, and then kicked him roughly in the side.

"Put this worthless dog in the cells!" He commanded loudly as he turned back to the horrified crowd. He said nothing, but watched with tight lips and a white face as the guards picked Merlin up of the ground, gently, aware of his predicament.

As Merlin hung limply from the guard's arms, he raised his head as Arthur walked up and looked at him closely, before whispering quietly so only Merlin could hear.

"Never speak to the Lady Lunette again."

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**Whey-ho! That was fun! Well, for me at least, I don't think Merlin had the time of his life... Poor muchkin. **

**Oopp, review reply! - Merlin Fan for Life, hello again. Thank you for your review, I hope this chap lived up to your expectations, and you have managed to untie yourself to read it :) And of course Merlin is nice to Andeline, have you ever seen him be mean to someone for no reason? Nooo.. He's far too adorable. Thank you again, hehe**

**So...to sum up = Arthur is mad, Merlin is sad, Lunette is bad and Sir Leon is emm... scantily clad. **

**Okay, maybe the last bit was a lie, but I couldn't think of anything that rhymed. **

**Next Chapter: Punchbags and Purple Juice.**


	12. Punch Bags and Purple Juice

**Phew! Almost uploaded the wrong chapter then... Lucky I noticed. Meh heh.**

**Ciao! I'm back, on time. But freaking out because I need to get the later chapters written or we are going to have a shortage of chapters -gulp- I will get there, I promise!**

**Just... been a really awful week for me. And the others - the prelims started - but I've been not well and did really bad in the exams and my horses aren't well and yada yada yada I'll stop talking...Sorry. **

**Cependant, voici le chaptire! (- good revision for french exam..) **

**And WOAH - Almost smashed my guitar just then... What a noobasaurus. **

**Author: Eleanor**

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Punch Bags and Purple Juice

The dawn crawled sluggishly through the bars of the prison cell, highlighting the dingy walls with the faint, but hopeful light of a new day. It crept forward slowly, but it was not unnoticed by the small huddle of clothing that lay motionless on a thin mattress that feebly separated flesh from flagstones.

The pale morning light finally arrived on the broken young man's face. Merlin craned his neck to bathe more fully in it, but groaned with the effort and sank back into his protective shell.

With an expert eye, he slowly began to catalogue his wounds. His nose was a heavy, blood-encrusted numb lump upon his face that he dared not think about; he had a stiff, bruised shoulder, his knuckles were bloody (with whose blood, his or Arthur's, he didn't know) and he felt a spectacular lump already forming on his forehead. Not to mention that whenever he tried to move, all his bones and muscles seemed to scream in protestation.

As his consciousness waned, Merlin saw the faces of the crowd as he had been carried to the cells. Their white faces, with a practiced expressionless quality that they usually only saved for Uther's executions. That careful emptiness was supposed to be reserved for Uther, not his son. And as Sir Leon had turned the lock in the barred door slowly and whispered one word softly, his eyes had filled with true pain and regret.

"Sorry."

Merlin was sorry too, and he blamed Sir Leon for nothing, but for caring too much. It was Arthur he was worried about. Sure, what they had would never be allowed to be considered as _friendship_, but they trusted each other. They had a bond. And yet it would now appear to be shattered, along with possibly some of Merlin's bones.

A sharp rap on the door bars made Merlin look up hesitantly. It was a guard, unshaven and tired from his night shift.

"Prisoner," He stated, "The Court Physician will now examine you to see if you are fit to remain incarcerated"

Merlin nodded wearily. The Court Physician would help. Wait, _Gaius_! Of course Gaius would help! His spirits lifted, he pulled himself up to a kneeling position as the door clanked open and Gaius entered the cell.

Gaius made no eye contact, or no effort to converse with Merlin, merely checking his wounds, occasionally asking if _this_ hurt (which it often did) or to tilt his head in such a way that he could examine his nose better. Merlin was hurt by this standoffishness and unusual coldness on Gaius' part, but didn't mention it aloud as he didn't trust himself not to cry with sheer exhaustion, pain and confusion.

After a while, Gaius helped Merlin stand up, and held onto him as Merlin swayed a little on the spot.

"This man is in no fit state to remain here" he said, getting to the point. "I will have to have him brought to my chambers until he recovers."

"Very well, sir" said the guard, clearly anxious to get off his shift and to go home. "We need the extra space anyway."

Gaius and Merlin staggered up the stairs painfully and slowly, as the night guard refused to help, instead watching indifferently. At the top of the stairs however, a pair of guards clearly new at the job and eager to please, were easily persuaded to carry Merlin's unresisting limp form to Gaius' chambers.

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A short while later, Merlin awoke to Gaius' worried face looking over him. In one hand was a phial containing some violet-coloured liquid, in the other was a handful of green leaves and yellow flowers that even in his groggy state Merlin recognised as arnica. Gaius pressed the arnica against Merlin's forehead and bade him swallow the unknown potion before Merlin was allowed to speak.

"Gaius!" he said, happily, before remembering Gaius' frosty behaviour in the cell. He frowned, "What was all that about earlier?" he asked accusingly.

Gaius smiled, "Don't be such an idiot, Merlin, if I'd been familiar with you (or heaven forbid I'd mentioned the fact that we were related!) That guard would have kept you there. And thank goodness that you're not too hard done by – considering!"

"Not hard done by?" Merlin asked incredulously, "I feel like I've been sat on by a troll, or gored by a unicorn, or, or –"

"Merlin, this is no time for complaining!" snapped Gaius, interrupting Merlin's rant. "You will be happy to know, that you are now no longer under the influence of a very strong love potion – sometimes known as the Dreamcatcher potion, because of its potency to infect the victim's dreams with disturbing, yet potentially precognitive properties."

"You what?" asked Merlin, dumbfounded.

"Yes, I forgot to mention that you have mild concussion…" mumbled Gaius to himself.

"Gaius!" Merlin said, trying to remind Gaius he was still here.

"Oh yes, didn't you know? You had been in love (if one can call it love if it is unrequited and induced) with the Lady Lunette for, oh, many days now. Since she came to Camelot in fact, which coincidentally is –"

"The day I was shot!" said Merlin, remembering. "It all makes sense!"

"I have reason to believe that the Lady Lunette was aiming for _Arthur_ that day – hitting you was an accident,"

"Thanks a lot" muttered Merlin sarcastically; she _might_ have been aiming for him…

"But I also now know for sure that Arthur has also been put under the influence of the Dreamcatcher potion too. It would certainly explain both of your outlandish behaviour yesterday…" pondered Gaius.

"Hey, _he_ started it!" cried Merlin defensively.

"And we shall discover today if Arthur's received his antidote that I sent up with his breakfast too." Continued Gaius, ignoring Merlin.

"So when do I get _my_ antidote?" asked Merlin.

"Weren't you listening?" said Gaius disparagingly, "I already said – you're cured! The antidote was that purple potion you drank a few minutes ago. Now, I've given you a mild sedative as well, I think the best thing for you to do is to sleep off your injuries. No broken bones, thank goodness, and the nose is nothing I can't fix. You've got a nasty bump on the head though, that'll take a while to go. Maybe if I tried mixing…" Gaius' voice droned on as he mumbled aloud, more to himself than anyone, possible cures. Merlin tried to concentrate but it got harder and harder, so he gave into whatever Gaius had put in the sedative and surrendered to sleep.

* * *

It felt like days, but it must have only been hours later when Merlin awoke, feeling more refreshed than he had in days. He got out of bed, only wincing slightly as his head swam at the change in position. He found a mirror and looked into it in disbelief.

He looked like he'd been in knight training. A fantastically purple bruise had spread across the lump on his forehead, contrasting with his even paler than usual face. His nose clearly felt worse than it looked, because apart from being a bit red, it was roughly the same size and shape as before. Merlin couldn't resist a grin; he thought the bruise made him look a bit tough.

His smile quickly vanished and he put down the mirror hastily as the door opened and Gaius entered.

"Feeling any better, Merlin?" he enquired, noticing his nephew was standing.

"Yeah, loads!" smiled Merlin innocently.

"Good, because you've got work to do. We know Lunette's up to something, but we don't actually know what, and we need to stop her before anyone else gets hurt." At this point he broke off and looked pointedly at Merlin.

"You mean _I_ actually did some damage?" asked Merlin in wonder.

"Well I was called to Arthur's chambers last night to treat a few nasty bruises. Most noteworthy was the beginning of a black eye, which I'm sure will be a spectacular colour by now."

Merlin laughed. He had given Arthur a black eye… Once all this was over, Arthur was never going to hear the end of this…

"But anyway Merlin, maybe you should go and confront Lunette. When she realises she's been thwarted (at my supreme medicinally skilled hand, might I add) she's bound to surrender."

Merlin nodded seriously. "We can't let her toy with our emotions any longer."

Gaius smiled and clapped Merlin on his still painful shoulder. "I have to go and pick up some supplies from the market now, so I'll leave this part up to you. Be careful."

Merlin waited until Gaius had left the room to physically wince and shudder from the pain coursing through his shoulder, before awkwardly pulling on a shirt and tying his neckerchief around his neck, glad for once of the concealment it gave to the tiny bruises that ringed his neck in the shape of Arthur's fingerprints.

He tried to smile, but failed. He was getting worked up – he didn't even know what he would say to Lunette when he did confront her. The one thing he did know was that she was behind his and Arthur's wounds, and she was tearing a rift between them. And although he couldn't see her final plan yet, he would get it out of her, one way or another, because no one messed with Merlin's friends and got away with it. Merlin rolled up his sleeves (metaphorically, it was kind of cold outside) and marched out the door, filled with determination to bring Lunette to justice and to restore the natural order and balance to Camelot.

* * *

**Do you know what I love most about Ellie's writing? It's the little details. **

**Well, that, and her lack of grammer - but I think I have fixed that. **

**But that line the guard says, "We need the extra space anyway." - And me is like.. Ohh why?**

**And, may I say, Ellie, that is the most competant guard I think has ever been seen in Camelot. I mean.. He was on night shift and didn't  fall asleep? That's impressive for a Camelot guard. And he called Gaius "_Sir"? _Uther needs to hire more guards like him, and promote that dude. We should at least give him a name. **

**Now scroll up that page and say hello to Geoff, the new Head of Gaurds...gaurd. **

**Anywhoos.. See you next week! **

**Next Chapter:Persuasion Among Other Things. **


	13. Persuasion Among Other Things

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**Ello Poppets. **

HAPPY SUPERBOWL SUNDAY! WOOP!

**Warning you all now. I have not finished next week's chapter! Yep, it's shameful... And I will try get it done. -eek! **

**If I fail miserably however - our oh-so awesome Whimsical Poetry of Doom story... poem... thing, will still be up and running. Oooh and the following week for the poems Ellie and I will be joined by exclusive guest star SIMONA, for a special themed poetry chapter (the week starting the 14th.. *wink wink*) So be sure to check that out. **

So now that I am done needlesly plugging our other project... Enjoy!

**Hope you like, and please.. if you notice it -which I hope you don't- Ignore Simona's sick mind. And Eleanor's. I had no part in Gaius's inner thoughts. I'M INNOCENT! **

**Author: Simona **

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_Oooh, what lovely melons_, commented Gaius, as he walked through the market, eyeing all the juicy produce.

The market wasn't normally this full or rewarding; the stalls were bursting to their seams with ripe, fresh, perfectly formed fruit and veg. He was spoilt for choice, like a giddy child in a sweet shop. _Oh, that apple dumpling shop is particularly well stocked…_

As he rounded the corner, a girl caught his eye. He had never seen her before but he, without hesitation, recognised her from her features and also pinned down her name, which he had been certain he had heard before.

So it was true. There was a sister.

* * *

Arthur opened the door to his chambers, after glancing at his reflection quickly, to let in his guest: the lovely Lady Lunette. She was dazzling, like the moon, only her face could beat the moon in a beauty contest _any_ day. _Well, night, really…_

"Arthur, what happened to your face?" She gasped as she walked in, slipping off her cloak and placing it on the back of one of the chairs, noting that his breakfast lay untouched. Arthur was momentarily transfixed by her actions; the way in which she walked with such grace, such poise; how she glided the coat over her curves, her skirts swaying… He tried to think up a plausible tale to impress her. A maiden such as Lunette only deserved the finest – and he was the finest in the land. And handsomest. And strongest. And the list goes on…

"Uh, there were three, no, _five_… of them, crowding around me, arms poised into fists – so I took them all down, they were no match for me" He flexed his bicep, a move which usually made women swoon at his feet but Lunette just smiled, _what a stunning smile she had_, "Emm, one of them, though, managed to give me a blow in return – just a lucky shot…" He reiterated, proud of his quick thinking and of how Lunette gasped in shock in all the right places.

"That's terrible!" Lunette remarked, _because that lie really was terrible…_, "And I heard that you got it from a little _tussle_ with your manservant" She teased.

"What, _Mer_lin?" he scoffed, pointing to his eye, "Please… as if he could give me a black eye-ow…" Arthur made the mistake of placing his finger too close to his eye… His vision blurred as the moisture bubbled up, ruining his view of the discernible beauty before him.

"Are you okay?" Lunette inquired, noticing his eye well up.

"Fine, fine…" He rubbed his eye, _ouch!_ "…just my, um, hay fever playing up" _Nicely done, Arthur, nicely done – man, that's so sore!_

"It's autumn…"

"Well… maybe it's because of these flowers I have here" He pulled up one of the seats and picked up the bustling flower bouquet that he had ordered that morning, "For you" He presented them before her.

"Arthur, they're wonderful" She took them into her hands, pleasantly surprised. Arthur's heart stuttered as she lightly brushed his fingers – it was strange how receptive he was of her; how the slightest of touches whipped him into a lustful frenzy, poisoning his mind with sinful thoughts – the kind best kept to himself…

Placing the bouquet on the table, Lunette noticed a peculiar vial with a purple liquid inside of it.

"What's that?" She asked, pointing to it.

"Hmm?" He walked over to the table, picking up the small vessel, "I don't know…"

He saw there was a small note attached to the phial. He read it, aloud:

_Sire,_

_I request that you drink this. I have received news that you have been acting rather strangely since the night of the feast, which leads me to believe that your drink may have been spiked. This tonic should clear things up._

_Gaius_

Arthur scratched his head while Lunette stared daggers at the note.

"Well, I suppose I better drink it…"

"No!" Lunette snapped, rushing to his side to remove Arthur's hands from the stopper, "I mean, Arthur… you don't need to drink that…" She batted her eyelashes, "I… don't?"

"I think we both know what is _really _going on and why I'm _really_ here" Lunette looked deeply into his eyes, willing the buffoon to catch on.

Arthur stared into her eyes,_ what__gorgeous green-blue eyes she had, like emeralds and those, uh, blue diamonds…_ He realised what she was trying to say; what he had been trying to tell her by inviting her – but she had already known. She knew he _loved_ her; every part of his being tingled with the comprehension of the thought as his mouth spread into a wide smile.

"Is it really that obvious?" he asked, putting his hand around hers', which still held the vial firmly.

"Sometimes… which is why this _Gaius_ person thinks you are sick, but you're just in love." a smile played around her lips, "He has obviously never been in love – what would he know?"

"You're right! What does Gaius know? He's just an old fool…" Arthur yanked the bottle, turned and marched over to the raging fireplace and threw the bottle into it, a slight bang echoing through the chambers as it was roasted by the fire before a dense, violet smoke rose; making the Prince cough and sputter. He rushed over to the window, pulling it open so that the fresh air would diffuse the choking smoke.

He returned to Lunette, who was standing watching the proceedings with a satisfied smirk.

"Good, boy" she appraised him before pulling up the seat opposite his breakfast, "Now, why don't you have something to eat?"

_Let the puppy have a treat…_

* * *

A thick, purple smoke billowed around the castle but Merlin thought nothing of it as he stood outside the house Lunette was residing at, after knocking on the wooden door viciously. A stumbling was heard from behind the door before it was tugged open by Andeline.

"Merlin! What brings you here?" she pulled on her dress and shook out a few strands of hair from her face, trying to look more presentable.

"I need to speak to Lunette" he added a slight smile to the end of the line but otherwise it still came out bitter.

"Oh… I'm sorry but you just missed her" She opened the door a little wider, "Would you like to come in?"

Merlin nodded stiffly, taking up her offer. Inside, there was a wooden table and chairs in the centre of the room; encircled by 3 walls of cupboards and workbenches, the fourth leading to what he guessed was the bedroom.

Andeline looked at his face clearly for the first time, the bruises outlined on his face in the dim light.

"Hey, we match!" she exclaimed, pointing to the prominent bruises on his face and the faint mark that used to be hers, "Sorry… that wasn't…" She looked down, turning red as Merlin smiled.

"Do you know when she will be back?" He wondered, looking at the pieces of paper pinned to the walls – there was something about them…

"No, not really… To be honest I don't really care…" She divulged as she closed a defaced, bulky tome.

"That doesn't sound like something a friend would say…" He observed, befuddled.

"Well, we're not exactly _friends_…"

"How do you mean?"

"Nothing, nothing" She scolded herself for saying too much but there was just something about Merlin that made her feel as though she could tell him anything – most of it being things he didn't need to know.

"You can trust me, Andeline" He tried to persuade her

She heaved a sigh, "I can't – there are some things that even _you_ are not meant to know"

"What could be so bad that you couldn't tell me?" He walked over to her, troubled by her hesitance.

"It's not _bad_… just difficult… for some people to accept" She looked at her feet.

"People like me?" he said as he lifted her chin. She shook him off, not trusting herself if she looked into his pleading eyes.

"Come on, Andeline" He urged her, holding her by the shoulders, "There is someone, who you are housing, sinking her teeth into Camelot – I need to know what she plans to do, and fast, so I can stop her. You said so yourself that you aren't friends so what's stopping you?"

"It's just…"

"It's just what? You would rather watch Camelot fall? Is that what you're saying?"

"No! That's the last thing I want!" She cried in outrage.

"Then what? Because if you don't help me then Camelot _will _fall." He outlined.

Andeline cracked, "I didn't want to help her, honest, but she said I either helped her or she would hand me over to Uther…" Tears formed in her eyes as she reminded herself of Lunettes' words.

"What do you mean? Does she have magic?" He asked and she shook her head, looking away, scoffing at the idea – _why would Lunette need her if she had magic?_

He looked in the direction of her gaze: the papers on the wall. They were embellished with symbols: _magic _symbols.

"Those papers…" He pointed, "They're magic, aren't they?"

Still no answer, until he put it all together.

"Do you have magic on you?"

She glared at him. Her eyes sparked and he heard the door lock.

"Andeline…" He wouldn't admit it but he was somewhat afraid of her – her face was remote, bitter even – reminding him of someone…

"You cannot tell anyone, Merlin, least of all the Prince," She insisted, "I cannot let you go until I have your word"

"Andeline…" He held his hands up in surrender as she walked up to him.

"Swear to me that you will not utter a single word" Her eyes pleaded violently, showing him a side to Andeline he had never seen.

"Andeline, I would never tell anyone – you don't have to worry - I _know_ that you're not a bad person" To this her face softened faintly but she still didn't unlock the door.

"I just want some answers – what is Lunette up to?" he queried.

She calmly sat down at the table, gesturing for him to sit too.

"Trust me, Merlin; you don't need to know this…"

"I do – if I'm to help Arthur, I need to know everything" He confirmed.

"I don't know everything, but…"

"Just tell me what you do know and we'll go from there" He encouraged her.

She sighed, "She arrived about a week ago. She said I was to help her or she would hand me over to Uther – you have to understand… that I… I had no other choice and so I set about brewing the potion that she asked for"

"The Dreamcatcher potion, I take it?"

"Yes…" She wondered how he knew so exactly, her forehead wrinkling, "I didn't know she was planning to use it on the Prince, I assumed it was for some other unfortunate person…" She smirked, "She set out a few days ago and instead of snaring the Prince, she got you instead…" She squirmed, "How are you? You're not feeling feverish, are you?" She placed a hand on his head as a precaution, noticing him wince as her palm grazed his bruise.

"I'm fine" He pulled her hand off, "Gaius made me an antidote so I'm not under the spell anymore"

"Oh…" She was interested as to how this man called Gaius had made the antidote but otherwise continued with the tale, "Well, a couple of nights ago she requested a new batch be made of the same potion and from what I hear, the Prince Arthur is now under the potions' charm"

"So all we have to do is have Arthur drink the same antidote Gaius gave me and he will be alright?" He seemed pleased at the quick resolution which made Andeline all the more weary to have to tell him that that was not the case.

"Merlin… it's not that simple" She put her hand over his, which was resting on the table.

"Why not?"

"There was one significant change to the potion" She told him, "Its potency"

"How potent is his?" he asked cautiously, expecting something very, _very _bad.

"More than double yours…"

"That could have been fatal!" He cried, remembering how disconcerting _his_ dreams had been. Looking away from her he noticed something behind her that captured his interest.

"Well, what was I supposed to do?" She replied, angered by his lack of understanding, "Well, Merlin?"

But he wasn't listening to her; his eyes were transfixed on a bird cage retaining a falcon, hidden in the corner of the room which was why he hadn't observed it before.

It was the falcon from his dreams – the one which had tortured his mind ever since.

"Merlin…" Her eyes followed his glare, after which she waved her hand in front of his eyes.

"What… what is that?" he managed. He felt a lightness in his head, as his stomach lurched uncomfortably.

"It's just Lunette's falcon" she elucidated, "Are you ok?" She worried, noting how pale his features had turned. She rubbed his hand comfortingly, instructing him to breathe deeply. _Did he have a fear of birds_? She pondered.

When the colour had returned in his face, she loomed towards the subject, "Now, what was the cause of that reaction?"

"That bird… It was in the dreams…"

"Which dreams?" Her eyebrows creased.

"While I was under the potion, I had these dreams…" He couldn't get the words out.

"It's okay" She stroked his hand comfortingly, "Don't strain yourself – I understand. That's just how the potion manifests itself inside the sufferer. So if you thought _your_ dreams were bad, with only half a sprig, then Arthur must be having _very_ sweet dreams…"

"That's why you need to help me, Andeline" He managed to take her hand firmly, "It's my destiny to protect him – I can't fail"

The untainted determination in his eyes spurred Andeline on.

"Alright" She huffed, "There is one specific antidote, which I know of, that will break the spell…"

"What does it require?" He cut to the chase.

"It needs a good few days to be brewed and the ingredients are very rare…" She walked over to her cupboard, taking out jars – the last one labelled as 'Cowbane'.

"Cowbane?" he seemed uncertain, remembering that Cowbane was a poison - a deadly one.

"The potion is so intoxicating that it requires a toxic substance to detoxicate the sufferer" She explicated, grabbing the jars and placing them on the table in front of him. He read the labels, recognising some: Chicory, Henbane, Ginger, Horehound, Dill, Lemon Balm and the dreaded Cowbane.

"I don't know about this…" He worried about the Cowbane, "What if it killed Arthur?"

"Merlin, Arthur has already withstood the effects of the potion, I'm sure he'll be able to withstand the antidote" She assured him, "Besides, do you want to help Arthur or not?"

He nodded, deciding that he trusted her.

"So, where do you get your ingredients from?" he finally speculated, remembering that she had never been inside of Herb Merchant's before.

"Oh, my bottles are enchanted so I never run out of ingredients" She rattled around a cupboard, searching for something, "Aha, there you are…"

"Sounds like a difficult spell" he stated, wondering why Gaius hadn't thought of something like that - probably out of laziness… She took out a mortar and pestle; along with the hardened volume he had seen her put away earlier.

"Oh, it's really not, but even so, my sister cast it anyway"

"Oh, you have a sister? What is she like?"

"My sister..." She began, a small smile touching her lips. "My sister can be over protective, but she's great – everything you could ever need."

"She sounds great" he noted, "So where is she now?"

Andeline stopped flicking through the tome, thinking hard.

"I… I don't know. I haven't heard from her in a while"

"I'm sure she is fine" He took one of her hands, helping her turn the page.

"I hope you're right" She scrolled down the page, her face becoming more and more momentous with each new line, "Hmmm… it says we need to add a drop of cowbane every hour during nightfall, for two days, to the concoction… and some of these ingredients are not in my possession…"" She looked up at him expectantly.

"I guess this is where I come in?"

She nodded, grinning.

He made to leave before turning round once more, "Is there anything else that Lunette is up to?" He asked to confirm he had all the details.

"Um," She thought hard, "Well, she has a white dress in her room – I don't know if that means anything to you…"

He nodded – that told him _everything_ he needed to know.

* * *

Merlin returned back to his quarters joyfully, pleased that he had Andeline's help, where he was met with a solemn faced Gaius.

"Gaius, what's happened?" he asked alarmed, "Is it Arthur?"

"No, Merlin, it's not Arthur… it's someone else…"

"Is it my mother?" his heart wrenched, his mind flittering with memories of her.

"No, she is fine, there is nothing wrong with anyone, nothing has happened"

"Then what's with the long face? You had me worried, so much so that I couldn't tell you the good news" He beamed his usual grin.

"Good news?"

**They sat at the table and Merlin retold him Lunette's plan which Andeline had filled him in on. He even told Gaius of her magic and how she was going to brew the antidote for them. To this Gaius's sombre face returned.**

"Did she happen to mention anything about her family?" Gaius inquired out of the blue.

"She only told me about her sister" he replied, trying to remember exactly what she had said.

"Ah, I assumed as much…" he commented, his face becoming graver.

"Gaius… what are you not telling me?" he looked at his uncle anxiously.

"Merlin, do you have any idea who her sister… is?" It looked as though he had struggled with the last word, as though there was another that he had wanted to use in its place.

"No, she didn't tell me the name… Why? Do I know her?" he tried to find a resemblance Andeline had to any women he had ever met, one face did stand out but he quickly dismissed it - _probably just a coincidence…_

"Yes, you do know her, or rather you did…" He sighed, the truth not wanting to come out.

"It's… Nimueh"

* * *

**Dun-Dun-DUNNNNNNNN! **

**Oh dear. **

**Next Chapter: Dreams Shattered (Well, hopefully next chapter. We'll see what happens come Sunday.) **

**Ohh yes review replies! -To those who I can't PM. **

**Blue Dragon - **

**Sorry I didn't reply in the other chapter - totally slipped my mind. Thank you for your review! As far as I am aware -And no, I'm not very aware- Merlin won't be bashed by Arthur anymore, it's okay. But as for people who arn't Arthur.. well... ;) Hah, joking, I think he's good. But don't quote me on that. **

**Merlin Fan for Life (or as you put in your last review "Mlerlin Fan for life") - **

**Thanks! Glad you know you are still here, and haven't spontaneously fallen of a cliff and left me wondering where you've gone. And I am glad you liked the fight scene! I was really worried about writing it cause I haven't written anything action-fulness before, but hey, I'm glad to see it worked. Arthur is scary... well, he's not someone I would want to anger - and not in a cute Merlin banterful way- In a proper angry RAWR kinda way. Scary Mary. Cept there is no Mary. So scary.. emm.. just scary Arthur. Anywhoos.. **

**Hem hem, question one, 1) I have been searching high and low on.. well emm Google, but still, searching for the answer for you. The thing is nothing has been confirmed. Season four filming starts in a few months time, but as to when it is aired... hopefully Spetember, but some people have said early next year. Nothing confirmed though, but I am not sure as to why they have even changed Doctor Who. Right, just gone Google hunting again, and apparently Doctor Who starts in easter -like it always does- cept now they are stopping halfway through and continuing in the Autumn. Which is extremely awkward. Hurmph. I will get back to you on this if or when I get more news. **

**2) A Merlin cloak? Like a proper Morgana badass sneaky smirky cloak? I WANT ONE! Totally gonna start saving up now.. don't know where I'll get one, but... I find one! **

**Is your story on FF? If so, let me know! If not, put it up! And I look forward to talking next too! Bye! x**


	14. Dreams Shattered

**S'up! Oh yeah high five for me - I finished the chapter! I mean, literally, have just finished it. And I have homework for tomorrow... but this take priority of course! **

**Anywhos... Here you go. When I was writing the fight scene in "Fisticuffs at Dawn", I listened to POTC and Merlin soundtracks to get me in the right mindset... So, when I came around to writing the very last scene of this chapter, it was one I found really hard, so I just listened to Doctor Who's track, "_Can I come with you?" _- Just thought you should know if you want to listen to it.. it's amazing and really captures the emotions of that scene (Woah that sounds quite intellectual of me).**

**Ohh exciting-ish news! Tomorrow, check out _Whimsical Poetry of Doom..._ Special themed edition which I am looking forward to seeing. :) **

**And today.. oop! Massacre of Glencoe in 1692! If you aren't Scottish, and even if you are.. that may not mean anything, but me and Ellie studied it in history, and we even wrote a poem about it -in a failed attempt to soften our evil teacher- and so this is a main shout out to her. :P**

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And in 2004 the discovery of the universe's largest known diamond, the White Dwarf Star. Aww, and it's called Lucy. There you go, history on this day.

Anywhoos. Moving on, and hope you enjoy! Author: Catherine

The air that night was crisp, and cold. There was a stillness in the darkness, quiet bar the heavy hammering of the rainstorm, and yet there was a kind of silence that enveloped the small secluded alleyway. If he listened very carefully however, Merlin could faintly make out the noise from The Rising Sun; jovial cries and faint rumbles of laughter. He fidgeted slightly, stamping his feet to warm up his toes, and running one hand roughly across his face to wipe off the rain. It was times like these when he wished that he had thicker clothes, even one of Arthur's old hunting cloaks to shield his from the torrent.

_She'll be here soon, _he reasoned, _just one more minute. _

Despite anxiously waiting for Andeline's arrival, part of him hoped that he would never see her face appear through the shadows. Because he knew that he couldn't keep his secret anymore. He would have to tell her the truth. It wasn't fair to her, when she had been so brave, so good, and was now the one person who could save Arthur.

But how do you tell someone that you murdered their sister?

* * *

The guilt had started slowly, nibbling away inside of him, clawing uncomfortably in his stomach whenever she was around him. But, he didn't say a word, not once, for keeping secrets was his talent after all. So he smiled blandly and pushed the ugly thoughts away. That was important. He couldn't afford to dwell on it. Andeline was good. She wasn't Nimueh. Arthur was his priority, the Prince needed to be cured.

"We've got a problem," Andeline stated bluntly one morning when she opened the door to find him standing there.

Merlin immediately tensed, his mind jumping erratically towards the worst conclusions. "What is it? What's happened? Do we have enough time? Is it Lun-"

"Shh," Andeline stopped him, holding up a hand, and glanced nervously back inside the house. "Not here."

The pair quickly made their way down the street, and Merlin couldn't help but realise that he was acting tense around her – an involuntary action that he tried to surpass. But he did it anyway, every time he saw her he did it; flinching when she suddenly moved, refusing to look her in the eye, feeling magic sparking at his fingertips when she was agitated. _She wasn't Nimueh. Arthur was his priority. _

Five minutes later, Merlin took a deep breath, wrapping his hands tightly around his tankard, watching Andeline closely. She had led him to the inn, and after ordering drinks, and proceeded to sit at a small table, all without saying a word. Finally, having had enough, Merlin opened his mouth to voice his concerns, before snapping it shut grumpily when cut off by booming laughter from the table behind. Andeline looked at her drink, silent.

"Do we really have to sit here?" Merlin hissed through his teeth. "I mean-" The laughter bellowed once more, "-couldn't we move somewhere more quiet."

"No," Andeline chided, leaning forward. "Noise is good. It's safety. There is no way we can be _over_heard."

Merlin sighed and shook his head slightly, trying to hide his frustration. _Stop being so angry, Merlin,_ he told himself. _Get a grip. _

"What's wrong?" He tried again.

Andeline took a careful sip of her cup, and placed it back on the table. "We have a problem," she repeated again.

_I know! _He wanted to shout. He couldn't help this irritation, this constant frustration, not at her, but at himself. Why hadn't he recognised her? The eyes, the deep blue eyes, so like her sisters. The way they studied a person, carefully calculated the reactions of an individual; like a snake. But, he had to concede, there was something innocent in Andeline, a childish naivety that Nimueh had never possessed. _She's not Nimueh. Arthur was his priority. _

"Lunette was angry last night, we… well, she was angry." Andeline paused for a moment, looking at the table. "She smashed one of my potion vials."

"Can't we just get another one?"

"You don't understand, Merlin. Don't you remember? My sister – Are you okay?" She enquired when Merlin began to cough rapidly on his drink. He hastily nodded, encouraging her to continue. "… My sister enchanted the bottles so I wouldn't run out of ingredients. So you see my predicament."

"Yes…" Merlin nodded, before quickly turning it into a shake. "…No."

"Now the bottle is smashed, I've lost one of the ingredients for the Prince's antidote. And, of course, it just had to be one of the hardest ones to acquire…" She trailed off.

"What one is it?" Merlin asked, thought he had a sinking feeling he already knew.

"Cowbane."

Cowbane. The most dangerous ingredient. Of course.

"Isn't there a chance we could just not-"

"Merlin, without the cowbane, the antidote is useless." Andeline said forcefully.

Sighing in defeat, he looked down once more at his hands, entwined around the tankard. "What do you need me to do?"

Andeline paused for a moment, before rushing ahead with her reply. "Cowbane, as we both know, is not the friendliest of herbs. Its common use in deadly potions is scattered throughout the generations of old – many a mighty ruler has met its end at this herbs expense. See, it's the perfect poison. It cannot be smelt, it is a colourless liquid, and it even has no distinct taste." Frowning, Merlin put down his half full drink. "Because of this, the trading of Cowbane is strictly monitored. Especially in cities such as Camelot."

"Great," Merlin said bitterly. "So we might as well give up."

"Not exactly," Andeline whispered, leaning forward and placing her hand on Merlin's, completely oblivious to his sudden tense posture. "There is a ready supply of Cowbane in the city, but it is somewhere where the people can't get to it."

Merlin groaned, subconsciously using this as a gesture to move his hand away. "Please tell me we aren't about to steal from the castle."

"Merlin, do you want the antidote or not?"

He slumped onto the table with his hand over his eyes, moaning. Suddenly, however, a thought struck him, and he sat up straight as if in shock.

"Hold on! We forgot something."

Andeline frowned, eyes narrowed. "We did…?"

"Yes!" Merlin cried, grinning. "Gaius! He is the court physician – if anyone can walk into the castle's herb supplies and take what he likes then it's him. Don't you see?" Merlin beamed. "For once, I don't have to sneak around! I can get Gaius to do it all for me!"

* * *

"You _won't _help us?"

Merlin stood still in shock, mouth open. He had almost immediately rushed back to see Gaius, and upon finding him in his chambers, had quickly briefed his Uncle in on the predicament. But this was not what he had expected to hear in reply.

"I am sorry, Merlin," Gaius lamented, "but what you are asking me to do is extremely risky."

"You think I don't know about risk?" Merlin replied hotly, anger seeping into his voice. "Do you have any idea how much I risk – daily – for Camelot?"

"You have a gift, Merlin. It is your destiny to protect this city –"

"It is my "destiny" to protect Arthur! Gaius, don't you see, if he doesn't get the antidote then who knows what could happen."

"I've given him an antidote; the same one as yours," Gaius reasoned, turning back to his potions.

"You don't understand, Gaius, it won't work!" Merlin shouted loudly, no longer able to hide his frustration and helplessness. As his uncle turned to look at him, surprise written on his face, Merlin's sense of guilt returned. "I'm sorry, Gaius. But you have to help us, please…"

"Merlin," Gaius replied softly, "I regret this, but I have no reliance in the sorceress."

"She has a name, you know, "Merlin snapped, clenching his teeth together. "Andeline. Her name is Andeline."

Gaius studied Merlin carefully, waiting for his nephew to look him in the eye before speaking. "Do you really place Arthur's fate in her hands? Do you have that much confidence in her?"

Merlin looked down, his eyes glassy. "I have to. She is his only hope. She is not Nimueh. Arthur is my priority," he mumbled his new found mantra.

Gaius looked at Merlin with something akin to pity. "I am afraid I do not trust her. I cannot help you."

Merlin looked up at his Uncle; small tears were gathered in the corners of his eyes as he looked at his mentor with desperation. "Don't you trust me?"

Gaius said nothing, but bowed his head solemnly. Merlin was gone before he looked up again.

* * *

"I really don't think this is a good idea."

Merlin craned his neck around the corner and peered down the corridor. There, just as he had expected, Arthur was standing talking to the Head of the Guards. A usual routine for him – every week the Prince would officially check the stocks and make sure everything is in order. And Arthur was the only one with the key. Merlin withdrew his head back around the corner.

"There must be another way."

Andeline sighed, nudging him gently with her elbow. "This is the only way. You said so yourself, since Gaius is unable to help-"

"Yeah… he's out of town for the day," Merlin mumbled, feeling his cheeks redden.

"-Exactly, and we can't afford to wait another day. We need in that cupboard. So go and distract Arthur, like we planned. "

"But…" Merlin trailed of, struggling for an excuse. In truth he wasn't sure if he could pull it off; after all that had happened between them, Merlin wasn't sure if he would be able to salvage the normality the pair had had.

Andeline, sensing his indecision, turned to face him, holding one of his hands softly. "Merlin, I know this is hard," she paused, brushing one of the bruises on his face briefly. "But this is the only time that the store room is open – our one chance to save Arthur. I know he will be cruel, and I know you are feeling betrayed, but remember _he is not himself._ So be brave, Merlin. Be brave for him."

A ghost of a smile flickered across Merlin's face. "Don't worry about me, I'm fine." He turned to leave, before looking back. "But thank you."

"Just give me enough time to get the ingredients I need," she smiled, laughing softly at Merlin's exaggerated bow in her direction.

Slowly Merlin backed up through the hallway, moving further away from Andeline and the supplies, all the while watching with cautious eyes as the Guard nodded at Arthur and left, leaving the Prince in the store room doorway, casting his gaze one last time over the stocks. Now was his chance.

"Arthur!" Merlin called, freezing in place. "… Prince Arthur!"

Arthur turned at the sound of his name, but frowned when he saw who was calling. "What do you want?" He asked coldly.

Seeing the murderous look in Arthur's eyes, Merlin faltered. "I-I need to speak to you."

Arthur raised his eyebrows, holding his palms up. "I'm not going to have a shouting match, get over here."

"N-No," Merlin blurted, "You need to come here, it's important."

Arthur started in confusion for a moment, before sighing and moving out the door way. "I don't know why I even try…" He mumbled quietly under his breath, turning to lock the door.

"It will only take a second!" Merlin cried out, his voice echoing down the hall. "You can lock it afterward."

The Prince snorted and strode toward Merlin, fortunately overlooking the alcove in which Andeline was concealed. "This better be important." He stated.

As Arthur approached, Merlin couldn't help but look towards the bruise on the Prince's face. Did he really do that? And did Arthur feel anything, any emotion at all, towards the similar colouring on Merlin's own face?

"Well, Merlin," he said, crossing his arms. "I'm waiting."

Merlin fumbled, desperately trying to think of a plausible excuse while refusing to allow his sight to wander towards Andeline. "Rats!" He blurted spontaneously.

There was a moment of silence, where they both pondered what had just been said. "…Rats?" Arthur asked sceptically.

"Rats… yeah, rats." Merlin muttered helplessly. "I need to talk to you about… rats."

"Anything about rats in particular, or did you just want to discuss the general topic?" Arthur snapped sarcastically.

"Well… um…"

Arthur shook his head in aggravation and made to turn away.

"In your room!" Merlin exclaimed. "There are rats everywhere! I didn't know what to do."

The Prince's eyes visibly darkened as he towered over his servant. "You called _me_ over here to let me know that in the half an hour that I have been away, an infestation of rats has converged in _my chambers_?"

Merlin carefully avoided eye contact. "Well, that's pretty much the gist of it."

He found himself closing his eye with trepidation as he felt Arthur's glare on him. The next words the Prince spoke were cold and sharp.

"Get it dealt with; or I will see you returned to the cells."

Merlin stood still for a moment, feeling indisputable fear seeping through him at Arthur's menacing tone. Suddenly however; his ears picked up the unmistakable sounds of Arthur's footsteps.

"Stop! Wait!" He cried, rushing after the Prince in a desperate attempt to delay Arthur's return to the store room.

"You really are the most irritating person I have ever had the misfortune of meeting." Arthur scowled.

"I don't know how to get rid of them!" Merlin blurted. "The rats, I mean. I don't know how to get rid of the rats…"

With an over theatrical roll of his eyes, Arthur replied in his special patronizing voice he saved just for Merlin. "I'm sure you'll figure something out. After all, you don't have anything better to do."

Desperately Merlin sneaked a glance over Arthur's shoulder, spying on the open door ahead. How would he know if she had got the Cowbane?

"I've tried everything I could think of, I-I've just run out of ideas."

Merlin watched with a tingle of amusement as Arthur genuinely considered the problem. "Have you tried cheese?" He queried.

Merlin had to bite his lip to stifle sudden, spontaneous laugh. "…Cheese?" He whispered in a high-pitched voice.

"Well, it stands to reason, doesn't it. Mice like cheese, and rats are practically the same thing. Therefore rats will like cheese. Use it to draw them out into the open, and then, I don't know… catch them."

There was a moment of silence as Merlin fought to restrain his laughter, although he couldn't hide his smirk. "Well… despite being refreshed and challenged by your _unique_ point of view, I'm sure there is an actual plausible method to it."

Arthur grinned, something Merlin had not expected, and regarded Merlin openly. "You know, I would call you an idiot, but that would be an insult to all the stupid people."

"Prat," Merlin shot back.

And for a moment the two of them laughed, the echoes ringing down the hallway. But almost as soon as this brief moment of friendship had bloomed it faded, with Arthur suddenly stiffening up, once more staring Merlin down with those hard eyes, as if he had suddenly remembered what had happened between them. Merlin too, took sight of the bruise on the Prince's face. And to think for a moment it had felt like the two had been back to normal.

"See that it is done."

And before Merlin had a chance to say a word Arthur had turned, and retraced his steps to the storage room door. He wanted to cry out, to somehow warn Andeline that the Prince was heading her way, but his mind just froze. He stood there, and said nothing. And Arthur looked inside.

He looked inside, and then locked the door. "Go," the Prince ordered Merlin, who was still stationed dumbly in the corridor. _Andeline had done it._

"Y-yes Sire," Merlin mumbled - a small grin on his face.

Soon, all of this would be over.

* * *

Merlin fell back against the door and closed his eyes, taking deep breaths. Before him stood Andeline, a similar look of nervousness and worry etched across her features. But as soon as the pair's eyes met, they both started laughing in idiotic belief.

"That… was too close," Merlin grinned, moving over to examine the small white flower in Andeline's hand. "So you're sure this is it?"

She closed her hand tight around the flower and smirked. "Do you doubt my plant knowledge, Merlin?"

"No," He exclaimed, "I just don't want to get this wrong."

"Well, I promise you, this is what we need." Andeline moved over to a cauldron that Merlin had only just noticed. The cauldron itself was small; a sturdy iron basin perched precariously on a wooden bench. It issued a sweet cloying smell with faint smoke rolled over the rim, and as he approached he took in the soft, creamy gold colour of the potion. Merlin said nothing, but watched in admiration as Andeline began crushing the stem of Cowbane with the flat of a blade, and carefully scooping the oily, yellow liquid that poured out into the antidote. She began to stir the concoction fervently, raising her eager eyes to met Merlin's. "It will be ready by tonight."

"Really?" Merlin exclaimed, delighted.

"Really." Adeline confirmed. "By tomorrow morning, everything will be over. I can finally fix all the trouble I have caused."

Merlin looked at her for a moment, at a loss for what to say. "Why are you such a good person?" He eventually said softly.

Andeline laughed lightly, pushing loose strands of hair off her face. "Why, do you expect me to be a bad person?" She stopped and looked seriously at him. "You saved me Merlin. You gave me a goal, a purpose. Something I can strive for and feel proud of myself. Thank you for that."

Merlin shook his head wordlessly, barely able to contain his conflicting emotions raging inside of him.

Andeline drew her gaze back to the antidote. "Oh, if only my sister was here…. To see us… To see all the good we are doing." She smiled to herself. "She'd be so proud."

_She wasn't Nimueh. Arthur was his priority. _

And she wasn't Nimueh. Andeline was the lightness to her sister's dark. Merlin could look at the evil before him and understand that this is what Nimueh could have been; this is what she should have been. And the guilt clawed inside of him – ever present.

"I'm so glad you found me," Andeline confessed. "It's nice to finally discover someone who you don't have to keep any secrets from."

Merlin didn't know what to say.

* * *

So now he stood, jacket turned up to try to prevent the rain from soaking him, internally arguing over the decision he was about to make. His brain was screaming at him like a warning bell, "_MISTAKE, MISTAKE, MISTAKE!" _While his heart knew that the guilt would soon overwhelm him. She deserved the truth. He couldn't stand the thought of Andeline waiting for her sister to walk through the door - A dream that would never come true.

And as if summoned she appeared, wrapped in a thick forest green cloak. Her face was drawn, nervous, but when she caught sight of him a smile flickered, and she hastened his way.

She opened her mouth to speak, but Merlin held up his hand to cut her off.

"Andeline, there is something I have to say," He smiled painfully, "now while I still have the courage," he whispered, more to himself.

Her steps faltered, and she frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"It's about… Well the thing is, it's about your sister."

Andeline froze completely, a faint haze of hot breath coming off her. "W-what about her? Has something happened?"

"Andeline… Nimueh was-"

""I never told you her name," Andeline uttered, very quietly, yet it was clearly heard over the hammering rain.

"I've met her, Andeline. On more than one occasion."

Andeline didn't move, and yet her voice sharpened and turned into what Merlin could only describe as dangerous. "What are you talking about?"

Merlin closed his eyes, wishing for the ground to sallow him whole. Anything to prevent this moment from happening. "Your sister… is dead."

There was silence suddenly, even the rain seemed to cease, and it seemed like for a moment the whole city had fallen hushed at his words - every building and person simultaneously condemning him to shame. He didn't dare open his eyes.

"You're lying."

The words were spoken a lot calmer than Merlin had expected to hear, and yet the force behind them was clear. The denial. The pain. Merlin knew, he had learnt too many times, exactly what this felt like to her. To lose someone close to you. And, without his consent, deep buried images pushed to the foreground – his father, and Will, but Freya, always Freya. Forbidden tears crept into the corners of his eyes.

"I-I'm not lying." He took a breath. "I was there, I-I saw her die."

"How did this happen?" She begged, her voice horse and thick with tears.

Merlin's heart ached for her – her pain was unbearable. "She was going to kill Arthur! And my mother and Gaius… I…"

Andeline gasped, one hand over her chest. "You-You killed her?" Merlin bowed his head, closing his eyes once more to try and trap the river of tears leaking down his face. Andeline stumbled back as if hit, betrayal echoing in her eyes. "I trusted you!" She sobbed, "I told you everything!"

"Andeline, listen to me," Merlin pleaded, taking a step towards her. "You sister wasn't like you remembered her."

Andeline drew herself upright and took heavy breaths, tears flowing openly from her eyes.

"I hate you."

Merlin's eyes widened and he reached out a hand. "No, wait…"

"I said, I HATE YOU!" She screamed, hurling something at his head. Instinctively Merlin ducked, before the sound of smashing glass made him turn. There; gradually mixing with the running rain water; was a liquid of the purest gold.

"No…" He breathed, bending down to attempt to salvage something – anything. The rainwater dripped of his hair and mixed with his tears, and his numb hands scrambled to uselessly to try and pick up the antidote. But his hands clutched at rain water, it all his hopes ran down the gutter before his eyes.

"What have you done? The kingdom will fall," he begged.

Andeline's face looked cruel yet beautiful in the rain, and suddenly she appeared to be the spitting image of her sister. "Good," she spat savagely. "I hope you rot in hell."

And she left, leaving Merlin on his knees, crying in the middle of a rainstorm.

* * *

**Well, he's really done it now.. hasn't he. -Shakes head- Oh dear Merlin. Sometimes you are to innocent and adorable for your own good. **

**Hope last bit was okay... never written something so emotional as that. So.. yeah. Please Review and all :) **

**Next chapter: Pulling On Heartstrings **

**Merlin fan for life: Thank you for the review! Yes, you can't have a fic without a good ol' fight in it - Great to make up but a lot harder to actually write down. And I am sure Gaius would have told you something unhelpful yet involving a book - It's what he does. And I just had the very night you described last night! My pals, Merlin DVDs, lots of sweets, my trusty old guitar.. and yet, no cloak. :( I WANT ONE! As for the chapter, I am glad you liked it and the best? Woah... It makes me blush :P As for the Gaius bit - you are pretty much right, however you need to think of the connotations behind what he says. The double meaning.. it's disturbing to say the least :P And please let me see some of your story! I would love to read it! Thank you! **


	15. Pulling On Heartstrings

**Zdravo! - (Yes I know that is the phonetic spelling, but Macedonian looks very weird written down.)**

**See, my dear pal Simona is from Macedonia, so that was a special hello for that :)**

**How's it going, y'all? Thank you for the response for the previous chapter. It was all very much appreciated, especially since I wrote it in such a rush.**

**So.. exciting news for us this week... If any of you are aware of Prince William and Kate marriage -if not then just skip this bit or something- Anywhoos, that pair met in St Andrews University In Scotland. And have decided to visit St Andrews on Friday for some reason. And that means.. police, undercover agents, people watching from rooftops the whole lot.. AND no traffic is going to be allowed in or out from the town at all. **

**Which is just brilliant seeing as we go to school there... therefore begs the question, how the hell are we going to get to and from school? Urgh... it's going to be awful. But pretty amusing at the same time. And place will be flooded with tourists. And it will no doubt be impossible to get to any shops for lunch. -sigh- I'll let you know how that day goes, okay? Should be fun. :P **

**Despite all that... Onwards my friends with the chapter! I feel I have forgotten something... Oh well. **

**Author: Simona **

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* * *

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Pulling On Heartstrings:

Andeline surged into her abode, her soaking cloak slopping against the floor as the door crashed to a close behind her while she wiped at her tear drenched eyes. She pitched her cloak on a peg by the door and walked over to her cupboard. Taking out the jar labelled 'Dressings', she took out the crystal; the only thing that remained.

"Show me N-Nimueh" She demanded, her eyes blazing through the moisture.

The crystal cast her on an island, where the remains of an ancient fortress stood – The Island of the Blessed, she remembered; it was exactly as Nimueh had described it: soaring, grand pillars which held up the sky; luscious green grass with life-giving dew drops – it was unchanged, untouched, unaffected. It was all there but her sister wasn't.

She was gone; vanquished off the face of the earth. The crystals were still intact, still providing a link between them but what use were they when Nimueh was gone? She discarded the crystal on the table behind her, clenching her fists together to prevent her from inflicting any damage on her poor furniture. Her eyes trickled with tears.

He had taken _everything_; Merlin, her 'friend', her ally.

_How could he_?

When Uther had wanted her to be hunted and burned during the Purge (she had only been a young girl), Nimueh had shielded her, made all record of her unknown – she'd tampered with the thin fabric of society to give her a chance to live, for the price of never being able to visit her – which was where the crystals came in – to act like she didn't know her; like she didn't exist. When she was alone, lost or troubled she had been comforted by the fact that her sister would never cast her away or betray her; she was her only family, the only one she could trust and she was _gone_.

And Andeline was very, very _alone_. Because of _Merlin_.

Tears heaved out of her eyes; she seized the workbench in front of her as the gravity of her fury and grief nearly made her collapse.

* * *

The sound of something crashing in the next room woke Lunette up. She looked around the dark room, sleep still in her eyes. It was the third, and the last time, this week that Lunette had been roused during her sleep and this time she would not ignore it – Andeline was going to be taught a lesson.

Lunette walked in to find Andeline rocking against the workbench, sobbing silently.

But soon her sobs turned to bawling wails; their power sending shockwaves through the whole house – she could feel them resonate against her chest, pushing her back until she was against the closed door of her room. The wood on the table splintered, the chairs fractured, the strange bits of paper stuck to the walls curled around the edges – if Andeline wasn't careful she would destroy the whole Kingdom. And that would not be good for her plan of revenge.

"Ah hem" Lunette coughed, causing Andeline to whip around. She rubbed her eyes, sniffling and then her eyes narrowed.

"What do _you_ want?" she snarled, her fists clenched. Lunette, glad she wasn't pinned to the door anymore, narrowed her eyes too.

"How dare you speak to me like that?" Lunette spat.

"Go. Away." Andeline ordered, sniffing.

Lunette had never seen her like this – yes, she'd seen her cry but not like this. She was angry; her eyes had a volatile and violent spark in them which induced fear in Lunette.

"No." she replied, _who was she to be ordered around by a peasant?_ "Not until you show me some respect."

Andeline smirked, "Respect! You act like you're worth all the gold in the world, but you're _not_. You're rude, self-centred and hell bent on making everyone around you miserable."

"You think your words are going to have some effect on me?" It was Lunette's turn to smirk. She had spent her whole life being unappreciated – Andeline's words were nothing new.

"Just leave me alone." She huffed, wiping her eyes again – _Lunette was the last person she wanted to talk to._

"You're pathetic, Andeline." She walked up to the table.

"Oh, and you think you're _so_ much better?" Andeline rolled her eyes.

"You have so much potential – so much more in you and you waste it." Lunette admired the splintering, brushing her hand over it. She then noticed the crystal; it glittered in the dim light, calling her.

That stopped Andeline dead; her face wrinkled in confusion – _was Lunette being nice to her?_

"This is nice…" Lunette commented, taking the crystal into her covetous hands. She looked it over, the facets reflecting her face. _Pretty._

"Take it!" Andeline shrugged – _what use was it to her now?_ It was just a reminder of _her_ now – that was all it was ever going to be. Her eyes welled again.

Lunette, still looking intently at the crystal, heard Andeline's sniffling, "Oh, what's wrong with you now?" She sighed – _seriously, this girl needed to grow up!_

"Nothing. You wouldn't understand," she wiped her nose, leaning against the workbench.

"Try me" Lunette looked at her expectantly, placing the crystal back on the table.

Andeline sighed, her eyes welling up, "Well… I just found out that my sister is… dead." She started bawling again and Lunette knew she had to calm her down before she woke the whole town. She walked over to Andeline and hugged her ineptly, hoping that she was comforting her. Andeline's head rested on her shoulder, sending tremors through Lunette's body, like receiving multiple electric shocks.

"Shh," Lunette tried to compose her, unsure of what to say – _how did people do this? _"You need to calm down – or otherwise you'll obliterate all of Camelot," Lunette laughed nervously.

"Who cares? I could obliterate the whole entire universe and it would never bring her back," Andeline mumbled against her shoulder.

"True…" Lunette was at a loss – she was used to life being one disappointment after another but this girl wasn't. _So, how to help her_?

"Would you like to talk about it?" _It couldn't hurt…_

"Not really…" Andeline shook her head.

Lunette pulled her off and held her by the shoulders, "It'll be good for you – bottling it up will only make it worse" She knew this personally. If she hadn't had her diary she didn't know how she would have coped all those years…

Leading her to the table, rather forcefully, they sat across from each other; Lunette sat up straight in her noble lady-like manner while Andeline's head slumped against her hand as she leaned on the table. Lunette picked up the crystal absentmindedly, looking at her reflection. Andeline stared at it intently; as if she looked hard enough Nimueh would appear and tell her it was all just some big misunderstanding.

"I take it that _this_ has something to do with it?" Lunette placed the crystal back on the table, more on Andeline's side than hers.

Andeline nodded, "Nimueh gave it to me."

Lunette recognised the name, even though it was the first time that Andeline had ever used it aloud and in conversations. Everyone from the east knew about Nimueh: She had been great friends with Uther until his hatred of magic started. When the Purge had begun, Nimueh had sworn her loyalty to Uther, but otherwise was displeased at how he killed so many of her kind and many, many more innocent people. Though, when Uther had demanded that Nimueh's sister be killed, she had unleashed her wrath upon him (quickly forgetting her promise to be a loyal ally) – the castle had burned so brightly that it could be seen from Cantia, where Andeline was rumoured to have been in hiding. Apparently, during the fire, the sister had been smuggled back into the city – which would have been a simple task due to the chaos and destruction – though when Nimueh had fled from the lands, many theories were buzzing around: Nimueh had fled with her sister; the sister had died in the Purge; the sister was just a cover story and Nimueh was really one of Uther's denied concubines etc, etc. For awhile, Andeline had been shrouded with mystery but Lunette had known she had been alive, for she knew Nimueh more directly than most people.

* * *

Lunette walked along the grand hallway through her mother's castle, with the intent to return to her chambers when a group of flustered knights turned into the hall.

"My lady, you need to go to your chambers, it is not safe." The apparent leader ordered as he approached her. The other knights flanked him.

"What's going on?"

"We have received reports that a powerful sorceress is within the grounds – some believe it to be Nimueh – which is why I urge you to go back to the sanctum of your room."

Lunette was sure she had heard that name before but it didn't really mean anything to her; she nodded and headed off in the general direction of her room. The knights bustled off in the opposite direction.

She turned into a dark corridor which led to the dungeons, which were en-route to her room. As a little girl she went the long way to her room which meant going through the gardens and past the kitchens but now, being older, she preferred quickness over pleasantness. Besides, there was never really anyone in the dungeons.

She didn't bother lighting a torch – she knew her way around the place pretty well.

Suddenly a pair of hands grabbed her shoulders, pulling her towards one side of the corridor. She screamed; the shriek reverberated through the dungeons and alerted the knights who clumped back the way they came.

She turned to see her captor; it was that woman, Nimueh. She scowled at Lunette.

"Y-you're the sorceress they are looking for." She managed through trembles.

"Yes, now how do I get out of here?"

"Why should I help you?" Lunette asked, crossing her arms.

"Because" She moved her face closer to Lunette's, "You're not meant to die today."

A shiver rushed down Lunette spine; there was something about her words that sounded like a premonition. She looked towards the corridor – it was still empty but she could hear the knights getting closer and closer.

"This way." Lunette grabbed her arm and pulled her further into the dungeon system. They turned and twisted through it until there was a lightness at the end of the tunnel; a grate which led out into a hollow cave which eventually reached the woods.

"Go through the cave – it'll take you to the woods. On the other side of the woods is a small village; I recommend the Minstrel's Dance Inn if you need a place to stay."

Nimueh looked at her gratefully, "Thank you. How can I ever repay you?"

"Um…"

The sound of the knights footsteps were only a few feet away; Nimueh quickly ripped a strip of fabric from her dress and, using her eyes, wrote on it.

"Here, it's the name and address of my sister – when the time is right, she will repay you."

Lunette took the strip and nodded. Nimueh slide through the grate while she read the fabric.

The knights bounded into view and Lunette scrunched the fabric in one hand.

"My lady, we heard you scream, is everything alright?"

"Um… I just saw a spider."

* * *

"So… how did she die?"

"_Merlin_ killed her…"

"Merlin…?" Lunette's eyebrows furrowed, "…as in Prince Arthur's manservant?"

Andeline nodded. Lunette's just stared dumbfounded, trying to grasp what Andeline had revealed. _How did a lowly servant like Merlin kill an almighty sorceress like Nimueh_?

"Are you sure that he was talking about the same Nimueh? What I mean is, Nimueh is a popular name…"

"There is only _one_ great sorceress in the history of magic that is called Nimueh and she is _my_ sister" Andeline cut her off, "And there's nothing that even _she _could've done to bring someone back." Andeline looked down at the crystal again.

"You're not as helpless as you think" And she wasn't – Andeline had magic, she had potential; she just needed to unleash it.

Andeline's head shot up with hope, "How do you mean?"

"How do you feel about Merlin now – knowing what he did?"

"I _hate_ him." Andeline's eyes narrowed as she comprehended just how much she despised that boy.

_Perfect_, thought Lunette, "That boy took everything from you. He took your family; he took your best friend, the one who looked after you for so many years. She's dead and it's all Merlin's fault."

"So…?"

"Wouldn't you like to take everything from him?"

Andeline eyes widened in confusion, "H-how?"

Lunette resisted the urge to smack her forehead with her palm. _It seems that Andeline had not received any of the evil genius genes that her sister had_…

"By getting your revenge." Lunette all but spelled out.

"Oh," Andeline played with the idea in her head, "How?"

Lunette sighed in frustration, _was this girl seriously related to the Nimueh?_

"By joining me!" She cried as if it were the most obvious option, "Together we shall avenge your sister's death – Camelot will pay for what happened to her."

Andeline contemplated the idea; even though she liked the sound of it, she still didn't trust Lunette enough to become her ally.

"So, what do you say?" Lunette looked at her expectantly.

"I'm in," she eventually agreed but her tone was brushed with hesitance – her mind was so conflicted.

_This is perfect_, thought Lunette, _with Andeline's alliance, the plan cannot fail._

_

* * *

_

**And there we have it. Lunette is very manipulativly evil. It's all going wrong for our favourite -adorable Irish with a non irish accent but we all love the irish really- warlock. **

**Thank you! Please review, all comments appreciated -honest-! :) **

**Till next week, my comrades. **


	16. Facing The Future

**Heya Guys! It's Sunday again! Yayah, Sunday Funday! Woop! **

**So.. Friday was fun (Prince Willliam and Kate in town day), Eleanor, Simona and I played -spot the spy- and I secured a clear and awesome WIN. Simona failed, she came last. Waaay. **

**Sorry this is pretty late, I have to upload this in the next 3 minutes or I will have actually uploaded it on a Monday.. oops. **

**Oh, fun story today, my horse fell on top of me today, so now I have a beautifully scabby elbow and a very sore leg. Good times :) Needless to say, now he is suddenly jumping a lot more carefully than before - That'll teach him to gallop at jumps then deck himself. **

**And, with very little more ado...**

**The square root of pi... delicious. -Sadly, not my line :(**

**Oh, and the reason I didn't write the title of this week's chapter in the last chap was because well... hem hem.. I only got sent it yesterday. **

**Author: Eleanor**

* * *

Facing the Future

There was a tinkle of glass and a tinkle of laughter to follow it. He opened his eyes sleepily.

"Good morning, precious!" cooed Lunette from the end of his bed. She looked stunning in an emerald-coloured dress that brought out the green in her eyes and which complimented her dark curls perfectly. She was holding two glasses of his favourite red wine.

Arthur sat up, now very much awake. He suddenly felt dishevelled and ugly, _inferior_ even, to this beauty displayed before him. His face flooded pink as he tried to gather the covers about him surreptitiously.

Lunette smiled, baring her perfect pearly teeth. "Are you not happy to see me?" she pouted, noting his shocked expression.

"No, no, of course I'm happy to see you. I'm always happy to see you, my darling!" said Arthur passionately, "I was just surprised, is all. I mean, what merits this special occasion?"

"Oh, I thought we should celebrate!" she smiled.

"Celebrate?" asked Arthur, confused.

"Yes, celebrate our, our _engagement_." Said Lunette, still smiling determinedly.

Arthur fell out of the bed. Taking a moment to recover himself and stand up, he turned to face her.

"Eng- engagement?" he said, barely able to choke the word out of his mouth, which was suddenly dry.

"Well, I just thought it was about time, you see, that we committed ourselves to one another," Lunette smiled, "You see, we're in love, why wait? You know everyone approves."

Arthur tried to smile, but it cracked and faded on his lips.

Lunette cocked her head to the side, as if trying to work out which tactic to use next. Then a big smile broke out on her face as she put down the glasses (carefully this time, she didn't want a repeat of the last wine incident) and approached Arthur.

Distracted by his troubled thoughts, the prince only noticed Lunette when her soft white hand delicately traced his jaw line.

"My poor sweet prince…" she muttered, half to herself, "So much responsibility for one so young…" She then ran her fingers along his biceps and up his neck. "But if he had someone to share it with…" she breathed in his ear softly.

Arthur couldn't suppress a shiver of anticipation and before he knew it, Lunette's lips were on his. His worried thoughts of commitment vanished as he lost himself in paradise. Then soon, far too soon, her sweet lips were gone from his.

His voice thick, his eyelids heavy, his body swaying on the spot, Arthur clumsily tried to speak.

"Will you – Would you, I mean, if you wanted to – Will you marry me?" he eventually asked, his face flushed with the effort of forming a sentence.

"Yes!" screeched Lunette, losing her composure for a few fleeting seconds as pure happiness was expressed on her dainty features and she hugged Arthur briefly. But then she recollected herself and pulled away, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"We have so much to do…" she said distractedly, thinking out loud. Then she turned to Arthur. "We need to tell your father. Quick, you must make yourself look presentable and then we can visit him."

Arthur felt suddenly overwhelmed. He nodded dumbly, and Lunette exited his chambers at a trot without even as much as a goodbye. He changed behind his screen, taking care to throw his night-clothes around the room so as to annoy Merlin.

Merlin. Arthur stopped as he remembered his servant. Once he would have called him friend, but Merlin was jealous. Arthur subconsciously raised his hand to trace the lingering bruise that still ringed his eye. A lucky punch. He wondered what Merlin would make of the royal engagement. Arthur then shook his head as if to empty it of such thoughts. This was _his_ day; he wasn't going to let a petty serving-boy's feelings ruin it for him.

Arthur's stomach rumbled noisily. But looking over to the table he saw a tray of breakfast waiting for him. He walked over and saw a little phial of purple-coloured liquid amidst the food. A small label attached to the neck read:

"A remedy for your pain. – Gaius."

Arthur smiled. The court physician could be so thoughtful sometimes. He hadn't even asked for a painkiller. He removed the cap and raised the phial to his lips as the door crashed open.

"Arthur, would you prefer red or – STOP!" screamed Lunette.

Arthur dropped the phial in surprise at the tone and volume of his fiancée's usually soft voice. The small bottle smashed on the flagstones, the violet liquid leaking away into the cracks.

He looked at Lunette, wounded by her harshness.

"Oh, Arthur, I'm sorry!" cooed Lunette, rushing over and kissing his cheek repeatedly. "Naughty Lunette, what a mess she's made."

Her kisses, however, seemed to have distracted Arthur as his face adopted a faraway expression. "What mess?"

Lunette smiled triumphantly. She bent down to examine the broken shards and found the label, only just legible through the purple stain. She hissed quietly in displeasure and ripped it up.

Arthur, meanwhile, was tucking into the bread and cheese on the tray.

"Arthur, honey, shouldn't you go and tell your father?" Lunette asked.

He looked up, baffled. "Yes?" He hoped that was the right answer.

Lunette smiled. "Good." She held out her hand and pulled Arthur to his feet, mid-mouthful. He swallowed reluctantly and dutifully followed her as she led him to the throne room. Lunette signalled to the guards to open the doors and pushed Arthur inside, as she remained outside.

* * *

Uther was signing some important documents when two guards opened the doors and Arthur came in. Or rather, he appeared to have been pushed as he looked backwards longingly, but the doors were closed again before he could react properly.

Uther raised one eyebrow and looked amusedly at his son. Arthur scratched his head and did everything he could to avoid eye contact, until it became too unbearable and his eyes locked with his father's.

"Well?" drawled Uther expectantly, raising an eyebrow.

"I need to tell you something, Father. Or rather, ask your permission for something."

"Yes?" said Uther, blank-faced.

"As you know, I have recently been seeing quite a lot of the Lady Lunette," said Arthur, beginning to pace back and forth, "And as it so happened, I have reviewed your previous suggestion about the state of our relationship and it has become apparent to me that you were right. That is to say, our acquaintanceship has somewhat developed into something more… meaningful and it is for this reason that… I have asked the Lady Lunette to marry me."

Arthur then flinched, expecting a reprimanding. Instead, he received only a hearty clap on the shoulder.

"My son…" began Uther, his voice cracking with emotion, "This is truly a great day. You have made the right decision for both yourself and for Camelot. You couldn't have chosen a better candidate. You both have my blessing!"

Arthur almost fainted with relief. He could marry the girl of his dreams without fearing the consequences.

"Now, we must make a public announcement. And decide the date. There is so much to do!" said Uther, abandoning his papers and striding out of the throne room, his cape flowing with the sudden movement.

Arthur was left alone, faced with his future.

* * *

"What's going on?" asked Merlin, as he joined the stream of servants flowing outside to the main courtyard. He jogged alongside Gaius, struggling to match the old man's determined stride.

"You mean you haven't heard?" asked Gaius impatiently, "What have you been doing all – wait, don't answer that…" he said as he noticed that Merlin was covered in feathers.

"Later Gaius, but what's happening now?" said Merlin.

"Oh, the King has ordered a mass gathering in the main courtyard for a special announcement." Said Gaius offhandedly, "I hope he hasn't found another _sorcerer_…"

Merlin shuddered and quickened his pace. Eventually the two reached the courtyard and joined the huge crowd gathered there.

The King was on the balcony, all dressed up in his ceremonial crown and best armour. A blast of trumpets demanded silence from the crowd.

"I have gathered you all here today to announce some wonderful news." Said Uther, gesticulating wildly to express his sheer happiness, "My son, Prince Arthur Pendragon, is to marry the Lady Lunette of Cantia!"

There was a raucous round of applause and cheering. Arthur and Lunette stepped forward and waved to the crowd, Lunette looking a lot more at ease than Arthur, who seemed abashed and nervous with the sudden attention.

Merlin and Gaius exchanged dark glances. This did not bode well for Camelot.

* * *

**Oh Quasimodo... This isn't going well for Merlin. **

**As always, please review, and check on Whimiscal Poetry of Doom on Wednesdays.. (mwah ha, I know what this week's poem is!) **

**Next Chapter: This Is For Me? Well, I Never... (Impromptu chapter naming there :P ) **

**Outro of awkwardness... ****Peace off. BOOP! **


	17. Is This For Me? Well, I Never

The Kingdom of Camelot invites you to bear witness of the royal binding of

**Prince Arthur Pendragon of Camelot **

to

**Lady Lunette of Bedegrayne, Cantia**

In the bonds of matrimony on the morn of Thursday.

By Royal decree, there will be a procession through the city afterwards, where loyal citizens may share in the merriment of the occasion. This joyous day will later become a day of public celebration for all citizens.

**NO SORCERERS ALLOWED.**

* * *

**;) **

**Till next week. Peace off. BOOP!**


	18. That It Should Come To This!

**Heya everyone! **

**I am happy! Woop! Because last week's chapter was so cruel - this one is extra random and long-ish to make up for it! And... Lots of interesting people too! **

**Okay... seeing as this chapter jumps scenes a lot, and FF is picky about how many line breaks I get, I am going to have to write (BREAKBREAKBREAKBREAK) Instead of an actual line. But you know what I mean. **

**Also, disclaimer to the title, which is from Hamlet, which I do not own, good old Bill Shakespeare does - Though David Tennant, I wouldn't mind so much. :P **

**Enjoy! Some are funny (Hopefully) and some are sad (Also, hopefully)**

**Oh, Author: Me (Catherine)**

* * *

That It Should Come To This! :

The wind blew lightly, ruffling the hair on Merlin's head gently. He listened to the soft hoot of an owl somewhere close by, its soft call somehow soothing the crisp night air. It was a comforting sound to the young warlock, as the owl's proximity meant that no one must be nearby. He wasn't going to be overheard.

"I don't know what to do," he whispered helplessly, soft tears pricking the corner of his eyes. "You're the only one I can talk to."

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"Please tell me this isn't happening…" Merlin muttered, rubbing his fingers on his temples. He quickly strode down the corridor, hastening to get away from the large crowd gathered in the throne room – each one of them cooing over the new engagement. Arthur and Lunette – to be married? No, this couldn't happen; Merlin had to find the antidote.

_The antidote washed down the gutter, you mean,_ his mind sniped at him.

Merlin paused for a moment, and leaned against one of the pillars, screwing his eyes shut as yet another roar of vicarious laughter bellowed from the hall. He lightly banged the back of his head against the pillar, internally cursing himself for his stupidity. Why didn't he tell Andeline the truth _after_ he had the antidote? Why?

_Because you're an idiot, Merlin,_ he chided at himself, _a complete idiot. _

Opening his eyes however, he suddenly spotted someone as the far end of the corridor, almost mirroring his actions exactly.

"Gwen," he called out, rushing forward, "Gwen!"

Startled out of her respite, Gwen instinctively dashed away from him, but Merlin quickly caught up.

"Hey, Gwen…" he gently grabbed her arm, pulling her around to face him. "Have – have you been crying?"

"What?" Gwen mumbled, wiping her eyes quickly with her sleeve, "no, of course not."

Merlin looked at her with concern, before putting his hands on her shoulders and looking her confidently in the eye. "Look at me, Gwen – look at me," he repeated, when she stared intently at the floor. "Arthur isn't himself. He is under a spell. You don't believe the true Arthur would do this, do you?"

Gwen smiled sadly, gently placed three fingers on his forehead. "Your bruise is still purple," she murmured.

"Exactly. Do you think the real Arthur would be able to land this many punches on me? Not a chance."

Gwen laughed softly, shaking her head. It was good to see her smile, Merlin thought. She met his eyes keenly for a moment, as if searching for something within them. "You will cure him, won't you Merlin? You promise."

Merlin smiled softly, "I promise."

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First stop – the library. If the antidote was the only solution, then he would have to make one himself – somehow.

Upon entering the room, he immediately squinted, trying to adjust his eyes to the gloomy darkness of the large, cluttered room. With his mind full of determination, Merlin immediately rushed towards the first bookshelf before stopping, resting his hand on the volumes. There were just too many books, too many shelves; he would never have enough time to even look at half of them.

Unless…

"Can I help you?"

Merlin jumped backwards with a yelp, crashing loudly into a large pile of dusty texts. Desperately scrabbling to catch hold of them before they hit the ground, Merlin eventually turned to face his assailant, a scowl imbedded on his features.

"There was just no need," he sniped irritably at Geoffrey, who stood regarding him with a disapproving expression. As if coming to his senses however, Merlin suddenly dropped the books messily on the table beside him and grinned at the man before him. "Why, Geoffrey, in fact you could be just the man I need."

The librarian paused for a moment, mouth open in shock, before grumbling and moving back towards his desk. "What do you want boy?"

"I was wondering if you could tell me where I could find a book."

There was a brief moment of silence while Geoffrey stared at Merlin with raised eyebrows. "Anything in particular?" He prompted.

"Well, a book on-"

"I am proud to say I know every book in this library." Geoffrey interrupted, waving his hands around theatrically. "I have personally overseen the entry of every volume into these shelves, each one carefully marked and shelved…"

"It's a book about –"

"Now see, to the untrained eye, this area may seem disorganised," Geoffrey waggled a finger in front of Merlin's face, before scowling at a dumped heap of open books. "Messy even. But little do they know that these books have a precise order, a planned and, if I may say so, extremely well thought out structure…"

Merlin tried again. "I really just need to find a book regarding –"

"Of course, when I first took control of these archives, it was a shambles, to be quite frank it was an embarrassment. But it has been my life's passion to see it restored to the glory it should be, and well, let's just say," He cried, holding his hands wide, "look at it now!" Before catching his hand on a cobweb and hastily wiping his sleeve.

Merlin stood silent, dumbstruck.

"Well, boy, are you going to tell me what book you need or not? I haven't got all day!"

"Right…" Merlin mumbled, still slightly dazed. "Emm, yeah, well anyway… a book on antidotes."

Geoffrey chuckled quietly to himself. "Why young man, more than half these books contain antidotes. In fact, the first book I ever brought into these halls was one such mentioned. Ah, I remember it now, a little black thing it was, fading pages with a small crack –"

"Okay, lots of books, I get it." Merlin hastily interrupted. Time was not on his side right now. "A book on antidotes for… potions?" He tried.

"I'm afraid you will have to be more specific. Or, if you would prefer, I could consult the catalogue over there," he suggested, motioning towards a large laden register. "It may take a moment, but I could cross reference all the books I possess with a simple-"

"Love potion!" Merlin blurted out, reaching the end of his tether. "I need an antidote to a love potion."

Geoffrey paused, and Merlin could almost see the cogs turning in his head. As long as he didn't put the pieces together…

"This wouldn't have anything to do with the upcoming Royal marriage, would it?" The librarian questioned with narrowed eyes.

"No!" Merlin cried much too quickly, and scrabbled in his brain for an excuse. "It's just… a friend… he…"

"I think you better send Gaius to fetch this book instead," Geoffrey said warningly.

"No, I can't. Because… It's Gaius."

"It's Gaius what?"

"It's Gaius," Merlin repeated reluctantly, already regretting his words. "Gaius is in… love."

"Good heavens," Geoffrey promptly sat down on the nearest chair. "Why, I saw the man just yesterday. He seemed perfectly able then."

Merlin shook his head letting out a deep, dramatic sigh. "It's a very sudden thing, it is. Quite unexpected."

He watched carefully as Geoffrey sat dumfounded in his chair, his brow creased and furrowed. "But… With whom?" The man eventually stammered out.

"A… woman," Merlin suggested vaguely, hoping that the librarian was too confused to question further.

Geoffrey sagged even further down into his chair, speaking quietly as if more to himself than Merlin. "This is a grave business, grave indeed. What is the world coming to, I wonder…"

"So that book…?" Merlin prompted with anticipation.

Geoffrey seemed to come to his senses at Merlin's words, and rose with some difficulty out of his chair. "In good time, my boy, in good time. First, I must go see the old fellow. Poor man, tricked and teased, I know how it hurts a man, how his pride will be hindered. Yes… it is not fun when women toy with men's emotions… I know that for sure…" He mumbled as he hurriedly ambled out of the room.

"No, but wait!" Merlin called at Geoffrey's retreating back. "Wait! Please…"

But it was no use. Geoffrey had gone, Merlin was helpless, and Gaius would be extremely bemused.

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Merlin waited a good half hour, randomly searching though any book nearby, before he eventually gave up and trudged back towards Gaius's chambers, his feet moving more and more reluctantly with each step. By the time he finally reached the door he paused, pressing his ear up against the wood. No voices. Coast was clear.

Merlin crept into the room, carefully shutting the door behind him, and then silently stole across the room.

"Funny thing that just happened, Merlin."

With a strangled cry, Merlin spun around, gripping a hand over his heart. "What is it with people trying to surprise me today?" Merlin gasped. "First Geoffrey, now you, not to mention Arthur's lovely little bolt from the blue today. Gods…"

"Geoffrey was just in to see me." Gaius carefully raised one eyebrow, a skill Merlin was dying to master.

"Ah," Merlin began with a slight trepidation, "about that…"

"He seemed to believe I was under some kind of _love_ potion."

"Did he? How peculiar."

"Merlin…" Gaius chided. "You were the one who informed him of this. And a cruel thing it was too, poor Geoffrey is extremely sensitive around the subject of love potions, after falling prey to a nymph many years ago."

"I didn't mean to – hold on, a nymph gave Geoffrey _love potion?" _Merlin questioned, disbelief evident in his voice. "…Why?"

"The point is, Merlin, that I assured him I was under no such concoction. Which leads to the question of why were you looking for a remedy to a love potion?"

There was a second of hush, as Merlin frowned and shook his head bitterly. "Don't treat me like a child; you already know what I was doing."

"Do I?" Gaius suggested, a small righteous smile just touching the corners of his mouth. "Because I was under the impression that _the witch_ was preparing the antidote for you."

Merlin's blood boiled as his frown turned to a glare. "You say she has magic like it is a bad thing, and yet I am no different! What makes her evil and not I?"

Gaius's face stayed impassive and yet there was a sharp glimmer in his eye. "Then where is she now?" He asked simply.

Merlin paused, and his face lost its defiant glare. Blinking heavy, Merlin glanced up once more at his Uncle. "Help me. Please."

Gaius regarded Merlin for a moment, seemingly lost in thought, before suddenly turning away and busying himself with potions. "I am truly sorry Merlin, but Nimueh's sister knows too much, nothing you could do would work."

Merlin stared hard at Gaius's back. "That doesn't mean I am not going to try," he stated determinately.

"Perhaps it's for the best," his mentor suggested softly.

Staring sadly at his Uncle, Merlin slowly shook his head. "I will find someone who will help me. It is my destiny to protect Arthur. And I will see that through. No matter what it takes."

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His quick footsteps were muffled on the soft grass of the training fields, with the loud clashing of swords echoing in his ears. He paused briefly; holding a hand over his eyes to shield them from the sun, and took stock of the sight before him. Merlin squinted amongst the pair of knights, peering to try to avoid the glare from the gleaming swords. Then, over the clanging of metal and grunts of effort from the men, he overheard the familiar commanding voice of the head Knight – just the man he was looking for.

As he quickly hurried towards the centre of the field, Merlin became horribly aware of many of the knights stopping what they were doing, and casting their eyes over his injuries with a guilty expression. Feeling his cheeks reddening, Merlin dropped his gaze, desperate to not be pitied by these men. Surely they couldn't all feel remorse for what had happened?

Sir Leon, however, was one of the few knights who hadn't noticed the warlock's arrival. Still furiously engaged in a mock fight against one of the junior knights, he failed to become aware of the silence from all the other men. Merlin waited patiently, used to the scene of these fights thanks to long hours with Arthur, and it was only once Leon had dealt the man a blunt thump on the man's back with his sword's pommel did he step forward.

Sir Leon wiped his brow and then turned to face Merlin. His eyes widened with shock, before quickly transforming his features into the same pitied expression as the other men.

"I need to talk to you." Merlin said determinately, eager to prove that he wasn't some pathetic punch bag as the knights seemed to believe.

"Merlin," Sir Leon began carefully, as if Merlin was some fragile child. "How are you?" He enquired kindly.

"I'm fine," Merlin all but snapped, "I just need to talk to you."

Sir Leon looked at Merlin carefully, before nodding curtly and turning to his now silent men. "Get into pairs, practise your parries. I don't expect to see any slip ups when I get back." He turned back to face Merlin, and smiled briefly. "Come with me," he ordered.

They headed back towards the guard tower, entering through the large wooden door and around a corner, before Leon stopped in a darkened alcove to one side of the main corridor. "What's wrong?"

Merlin smiled slightly. "Surely you know." Leon wouldn't have brought them all this way if he didn't have some idea as to what Merlin was concerned with.

Looking him straight in the eye, Leon spoke to Merlin with a carefully guarded face. "I don't know what you are talking about." He said in a low monotone.

He knew exactly what Merlin was talking about.

"Sir Leon," Merlin reasoned, whispering quickly and fervently, "you of all people must have noticed the change in Arthur. He's not himself."

The head knight paused for a second, narrowing his eyes slightly. "What are you trying to say?"

Merlin took the plunge. "Magic. That's what I'm saying. Lunette is after the crown. We need to stop her."

Leon opened his mouth to speak, before the sounds of footsteps cut him off. The pair stood silent, barely breathing, as a pair of guards clanked down the hallway, loudly discussing uniforms, less than a metre away from them. Only once they had gone did Merlin consent to look at Leon again, who had leaned closer, face grave.

"What you are suggesting is treason," He hissed.

"But you know it's true!" Merlin exclaimed, no longer caring to whisper. "Arthur is beyond reason; Uther is blinded by power -"

"_The King…"_ Sir Leon reminded, "Is merely pleased with the arrangement. You should do well to watch what you say," He warned carefully.

Merlin stared Leon down, a spark of fury lighting in his mind. "Look me in the eye and tell me you don't believe me." He challenged.

Sir Leon fiercely stared Merlin down for a second, before his eyes dropped to the floor. There was a moment of silence, while Leon thought furiously in his head. "My duty is to serve the King," He eventually said, his mumble like a mantra.

The words closed on Merlin like a death sentence. Sir Leon agreed with him, Merlin could see that, clear as day, but the Knight had sworn an oath. That he would not break. "Please Sir Leon, you can't let this happen," He pleaded.

"The King is happy. Prince Arthur is…" He paused, eyes flitting to Merlin's bruise. "I'll admit it, different, but perhaps this is for the better."

Merlin almost laughed. "You can't honestly believe that –"

"If it is the King's will," Leon interrupted firmly. "Then it is done. I'm sorry Merlin," He muttered, his face softening, "I-I cannot condone your words," He said regretfully, before making his way back down the corridor.

Merlin gritted his teeth and stepped out to face him. "I thought your duty was to Camelot!" He shouted. "If you allow this to happen, the kingdom will fall! Can you condone that?"

As quick as a flash, Merlin was pressed up against the wall, Sir Leon's hand pinning him still. "You go too far!" The knight barked. However, at that moment, Leon noticed the boy wince as pressure was pushed on his shoulder.

Flashbacks flickered in Leon's mind of the boy just after the fight with Arthur, and his brain recalled the sight of a swollen badly bruised shoulder. Of course.

He released Merlin quickly, incredible guilt pressing in on him, wanting to do nothing more than apologise, and yet too embarrassed to actually do it. As Merlin slid to sit on the floor, Sir Leon resisted the urge to help him. _Merlin would never forgive him._

Merlin sat on the floor and stared at his hands, saying nothing as the knight walked away.

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His shoulder still throbbed, stinging slightly as he flexed his arms, in a vain attempt to get warm. He said nothing, waiting patiently for the other to speak, while vividly imagining a nice blazing fire. What he would give for a nap by one right now.

"You took your time, young warlock."

Merlin finally looked up, meeting the dragon's amused eyes. "I don't trust you," he stated simply, before scowling as the dragon chuckled deeply.

"No, I don't suppose you do."

If there had been any other option, Merlin would have taken it. But his choices were becoming increasingly more and more limited. And sometimes, just sometime, the dragon made some sense. But Merlin really wasn't in the mood for a goose chase.

"Do you know why I am here?" He queried.

Kilgharrah rolled his eyes; an action that Merlin reasoned just did not look natural on a dragon. "I assume you need my help, like you always do." He mused.

Ignoring the jibe, Merlin cut straight to the point. "Arthur is under the influence of a love potion."

As yet another chortle echoed from the dragon, Merlin's scowl deepened. "Is that what you young people call it these days…"

"I'm being serious," Merlin interrupted.

"Oh, I can see that." Kilgharrah stated, before pausing and drawing himself taller, as if in a need to look down on Merlin even more. _Stupid arrogant_ _dragon. _

"I'm afraid that I cannot help you, Merlin. The antidote you seek must be carefully constructed through years of herbal knowledge and the practical use of hands – two abilities which I do not posses."

Merlin groaned in frustration, lifting his head to look at the sky as if it could offer him some advice. "Is there nothing you can do?" He begged.

"Merlin, when the tide leaves the shore, all the water retreats, but sometimes, just sometimes, a single starfish may be left behind."

There was a smart smattering of crows which noisily flew into the distance. After that, complete silence.

"…What?" Merlin eventually asked bluntly, brow furrowed.

The dragon spoke again. "We all must ma-"

"But that made no sense at all," Merlin butted in.

"Some things are-"

"No, but really, do you even understand what you are saying?" Merlin asked sceptically. "Or do you just make it up as you go?"

The Dragon looked down once more at Merlin. "When a man looks upon a mirror, he may see a reflection, but is it justly his true form?"

Merlin stared dumbstruck. "You're insane." He eventually deduced.

"Now, Merlin…"

Merlin held his hands up, shaking his head. "I honestly don't know why I even bother…" He muttered, before walking back towards the castle.

"Merlin…" The dragon growled after the retreating boy. "MERLIN!"

BREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAK

His footsteps were weary now, his heart heavy. Merlin slowly trudged his way towards the spiral staircase, running his fingers gently along the smooth stone. He glanced briefly past the large statue and out the window beyond; taking in the gloomy, ever darkening clouds which had covered the once shining day.

Only one night left. And drastic times called for drastic measures.

The castle hallway was quiet, the corridors empty. Merlin almost wished someone would walk by. Anyone, just a person would could stop the boy and bring Merlin back to his senses. Because what he was about to do was completely insane.

He slowly took one tentative step up the spiral staircase. Gwen would be away running errands –like she always did at the end of the day – so she would be the one to answer the door instead. At least that was something. Merlin couldn't even begin to imagine what he would say to explain his presence. Something regarding Gaius no doubt. Yes, a potion for the nightmares. Gwen would believe that.

It was curious, Merlin admitted, how desperation could drive him straight into the arms of the enemy. He wildly wondered what he would do if she agreed to help – as fanatical as that possibility was. But to him it wouldn't matter, it would simply be enough to have someone on his side – Even if it was _her._

His feet carried him to the door without conscious thought, and before he knew it his arm was up, fist clenched, ready to knock. His arm twitched as an internal battle raged in his head.

"Nah," he finally concluded, before lowering his arm and walking away. _Even he wasn't that stupid. _

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"_I don't know what to do," he whispered helplessly, soft tears pricking the corner of his eyes. "You're the only one I can talk to." _

As he said these words he dug his fingers deep into the soft ground beside him, and cast his eyes across the moonlit lake he was sat beside. Gods, he missed her so much.

"If only you could talk back." He whispered.

* * *

**Aww.. Freya! :( Poor Merly-no mates. **

**And... I hope you all got the final person. ;) Hehe, this was a fun chapter to write. Tried to included the majority of people too. Cept Arthur for obvious reasons. And Uther for well, -Merlin has one had like two scenes with him in his life- Reasons. **

**Till next week, my brothers-in-arms! (Or sisters-in-arms, but meh.) **

**Next Chapter: Dawning Of The Shrieking **

**Peace Off. BOOP!**


	19. Dawning of the Shrieking

**Heya! How's it going? Good? Oh my word, same here! What's that? Oh yeah, I totally agree. **

**So... Let's see. Happy St Patrick's Day (Thursday)! I spoke in an Irish accent all morning in honor. Aww man, I do love the Irish accent. But then that quickly transended into me basically repeating, "me dad's a muggle, mam's a witch, bit of a nasty shock for him when he found out."**

**Or... for a bit of variety... "Eye of rabbit, heartstring hum. Turn this water, into rum." (But you kinda have to say "Rurrrrm" to make it sound right)**

**Okay, if you guys don't know what that is from then shame on you! **

**As to my "anonymous" review - Bless Your Face- Yes, this was indeed a hemhem-NOT-hemhem _suprise_. I am pleased to see you like the chapter that I (CATHERINE) made up ALL BY MYSELF. _All by myself... Don't wanna be all by myself... ANYMOOOORRRREEEEE... _Also, I can't help it if your boyfriend.. oops I mean Leon, manhandles me.. oh, I mean Merlin against a wall. IT'S AUTHORY! BURN EVERYONE WITH A PEN IN THEIR HAND! And of course you are the most smexiness baby on this side of Narnia. If you sneezed while reading this message, Bless you. **

**If some of you can't guess... This review may have been written by a certain ginger girl who may contribute to this story every so often, (And who has the surname of one of the animals in Harry Potter - Which is just incredible) and I may just point out here where all can see that I am expecting next week's chapter some time soon. HEMHEM.**

**Anywhoos, where was I.. Oh yeah, Irishness. But now I have kinda finished that. So Story time! Yay!**

**Author: Simona **

Dawning of the Shrieking

Gaius opened his eyes to find Merlin already awake and working. And, boy, was he making a racket.

"Merlin?" He rubbed at his eyes, "What are you doing?"

Merlin gave him a cold look but said nothing, continuing to look through the 3 tomes laid out before him. Gaius climbed out of bed and brushed a hand through his shaggy hair. He walked over but Merlin refused to look at him.

Gaius sighed, "Look, Merlin, about last night; I know it was not what you wanted to hear–"

"It's alright, Gaius, I understand why you said it" Merlin interjected, looking at him from under his lashes. Gaius was relieved; finally, Merlin was seeing sense.

"But I still have a duty to Arthur" Merlin stated and finally looked up at Gaius. "And I will not rest until it is fulfilled"

Gaius sighed; of course Merlin wasn't going to give up.

Gaius looked at him sceptically, "How far are you willing to go to protect him?"

"I would do anything"

Gaius contemplated this. "Even show him your magic?"

Merlin stopped flicking, his eyes boring into the table, "If I have to."

"Merlin, that is too dangerous – if Uther found out-"

"I know, but it's one of my only options"

"What are your _other_ options?" He watched as Merlin seamlessly burrowed through 3 volumes, searching for something fervently.

"Well, I'll try and make Arthur see sense, which is going to be difficult seeing as Lunette was given a room down the hall to prepare in." He made a face, momentarily not leafing through the tomes. "Unless _someone_ put a good word in to Uther…" He smiled sheepishly towards an unmoved Gaius.

"Merlin, Uther won't listen to me – he wants this marriage more than Arthur does," he grumbled.

"Please, Gaius, you have to try - you never know, for once in your life he might"

"Merlin…"

"Please? I'm begging you"

Gaius sighed, "I'll see." he was about to walk off when he remembered the books. "What, in the name of Camelot, are you looking for?"

"An antidote – if I can't talk Arthur round, then at best I could get him out of the spell"

"Good luck with that" Gaius yawned as he went to make himself presentable.

* * *

The sunlight coursed through the room, reflecting Arthur's toothy smile as Merlin helped him get ready for the wedding. His ceremonial crown lay in its case, glinting as the sunbeams sashayed over it. Arthur already had his chain mail on and Merlin was busy attaching the crimson cape onto the back of his neck.

"You know, you don't have to do this" Merlin broached the subject, "Marry her and all…"

"What are you talking about Merlin?" He swung round, his eyebrows drawing together, "I love her - I want to do this"

"Really?" He mused, nearly making the Prince doubt himself.

"Yes, really!"

"Then what about Gwen?" He demanded, stunning the Prince. His face warped through recognition, affection but ultimately remained on confusion.

"Who?"

"Guinevere! The woman you _actually _love." Merlin stated.

"I think you are confusing me with someone else…"

Merlin took his shoulder, "Do you seriously not remember anything about her?"

"Guinevere…" Arthur pondered, Merlin watching his face intently as he seemed to realise something, "Is she the one with the big…" Arthur held his hands over his chest as though he were holding a pair of melons there.

Merlin was mortified. He slapped Arthur sharply across the face

"Snap out of it!" He ordered, as Arthur groaned.

"Merlin, I am the Prince – you cannot do that!" He reminded him whilst holding his cheek.

"Well sometimes the Prince deserves it for being a stupid prat"

"Merlin!"

"Arthur, do you not see what _she_ is doing?" He took his shoulder again, "Lunette is only using you to get to the throne."

"No! She's not like that!"

"She doesn't love you –"

"You're wrong!" He yelled, making Merlin shrink away, "We love each other and we're happy together – the fact that I am the Crowned Prince of Camelot has nothing to do with it."

"Oh, really?" Merlin refused to accept it, "Has she ever said that she loves you?"

"Well, it's obvious from-"

"No, I mean, has she ever told you, _in words_, that she loves you?"

It dawned on Arthur that she hadn't, his smile pulled down at the edges, but something inside of him talked him round.

"Shut up, Merlin." Was all he could think to reply.

"So you do not deny it?" Merlin irked.

"Oh stop being ridiculous, Merlin, of course she loves me – who wouldn't?" He tugged a hand through his hair, fed up with his manservant's contradictions.

"I'm just saying, Arthur-"

"Well, I wish that you would stop saying it!" Arthur stipulated, irritated, "I get that you might not approve of Lunette but I wish that you would keep your comments to yourself!"

"Arthur, please-"

"If you cannot do that Merlin then I suggest you stay away from the procedures"

"But Arthur-"

"Go, Merlin!" He pointed to the door, his teeth gritted together.

He watched as Merlin walked dismally out of the room. Why was his manservant stirring up trouble like this?

And then he remembered – _Mer_lin was jealous. Of course, he remembered how Merlin had acted around Lunette the first few days, the way he had pursued her constantly. So now that Lunette had fallen for him and she had agreed to marry him, he couldn't handle it.

Of course that was why Merlin was acting like he was – that was the only explanation.

* * *

"Ah, Gaius, what can I help you with?" Uther stood in his room, goblet in hand, a great grin plastered on his face.

"It's about the wedding, sire." His face was serious, making Uther's smile waver.

"Don't you think it's a little strange how… quickly Arthur has fallen for the Lady Lunette – they've only known each other for a week!"

"Ah, Gaius, when you know – _you know._" He took a sip, memories of his own love life flooding back, "I wouldn't expect _you_ to understand, Gaius."

"Be that as it may, sire, from what I've heard: Arthur was very clearly not keen on the Lady Lunette. Then, out of the blue he claims to _love_ her – now tell me, don't you think that's a little suspicious?"

"Well…" Uther contemplated the idea, "It doesn't matter what I think! It will be good for our two kingdoms to come together by marriage."

"Then how come the Lady Lunette's parents are not going to be in attendance?"

"They're busy people, Gaius… " He took another sip.

"So busy as to miss their own daughter's wedding?"

"Gaius, please, whatever you are suggesting; I assure you that it is not the case. Those _outrageous_ ideas that you have rooted into your head, I suggest you keep them to yourself unless you _want_ to spend the night in the dungeons. I will _not _have you ruining this splendid occasion by spreading tales about the Lady Lunette – it is _not _your place."

Gaius was taken aback by Uther's little rant – he spoke with such zeal about the Lady Lunette that he was certain she had wrapped him round her finger, as she had done with his son.

"Yes, sire. Sorry, sire" Gaius bowed and walked out of the room, the thought of staying in the dungeons not particularly tickling his fancy after the whole witch finder fiasco…

Uther could not fathom where Gaius had got such crackpot ideas but he would not admit that they _had _made sense. Why were Lunette's parents not going to be in attendance? Lunette had said that she would inform about the arrangements herself and yet he hadn't heard anything from them about the matter – no visit to give the couple their blessing, no letter of approval; nothing. It was like they didn't even know she was getting married…

But that was _ridiculous_ – of course they knew! They must be just very busy or it was just such short notice that they couldn't make it – there _had _to be a rational explanation.

* * *

Lunette stood facing the magnificent four poster bed in the room she had been given in the castle. Cold fingers brushed along her back as they laced up her bodice before planting a light kiss on the back of her neck. Lunette swiftly turned to find the deluded Prince's face right in front of hers. His close proximity made her slightly edgy.

"Arthur!" She reprimanded, "Don't you know that it's bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other before the wedding?"

"I couldn't resist" He plucked a stray hair out of her face, "If I saw you like this at the wedding I would be speechless –"

"That's the point" She stated, trying to wrench herself out of his grasp.

The doors burst open, rescuing Lunette from any further advances made by the Prince, as Merlin walked indignantly into the room.

"Merlin! I thought I told you-"

"Arthur, you need to listen to me," he butted in, "You need to stop this – _she _has got you under her spell – you don't love her!"

"Merlin, I can understand that you might be a little jealous-"

"Jealous!" he exclaimed, "Arthur, she is going to bring down Camelot – why would I be jealous?"

"Oh, stop this!" Lunette interjected, jumping out from behind Arthur, "Arthur, darling, either make your manservant see sense or have him stay away from the wedding procedures."

"I would rather _die _than watch _you_ marry Arthur." Merlin spat, staring at her like she was something he would find in Arthur's stable.

Arthur looked hurt, looking from a disgusted Merlin to the simpering face of his soon-to-be-wife. Why did he have to choose between them? He sighed.

"You've made your choice." He finally spoke to Merlin, "I herby banish you from the wedding ceremony – you are not to step anywhere near the procedures."

"But, Arthur-"

"This is for your own good, Merlin," he defended, "Now go and close the door on your way out."

Merlin turned and stomped out of the door, not bothering to close it – seeing as Arthur thought he knew best, _he _could close the door. Arthur exhaled; did Merlin really not want him to marry Lunette that badly?

"Arthur…" She put her hand on his shoulder, turning him to face her, "Don't fret over him – soon we shall be married and that is all that matters" She smiled, _soon I shall have my revenge_, she added as an afterthought.

Arthur stroked her cheek, "I love you Lunette. I will not let anyone ruin this glorious day for us."

"I… too will not let anyone ruin this day for us." She stammered, taken aback by his declaration. She took his hand and kissed the palm, making sure that he bought it.

_There_, that was all Arthur needed as proof that she loved him. He leaned in slightly, closing his eyes when there was a tapping on the door.

"My Lady, I hope I am not intruding…" Andeline bowed uncomfortably.

"No, come in." Lunette invited while Arthur agitatedly had said, "Yes, actually you are."

Andeline still dithered at the door, not knowing who to believe.

"Arthur," Lunette commanded, "Please leave us – we still have much to prepare."

"In that case I shall leave you…" He quickly pecked her on the lips, "…but not for long. I'll see you at the ceremony." He turned and glided out of the door, nodding at Andeline as he went past her.

Lunette rubbed her mouth against the back of her hand distastefully as Andeline closed the door.

* * *

Arthur strolled down the hall back to his quarters when Gwen intercepted him.

"Arthur, why are you doing this?" She pleaded, "You don't love her; I know you don't."

"What would _you_ know about anything?" He snapped, "Who do you think you are?"

"I'm Guinevere." She took his hand firmly, "And I love you," she placed his hand over her heart, "And I know you love me too."

"Gwen, I…" His face seemed tortured, almost as if two parts of him were fighting inside until one of them won – the cold, belligerent side.

"You need to remember your place." He jerked his hand out of hers, "_Servant_ girl."

He continued to march down the hallway, leaving a teary-eyed Gwen with an empty hand on her heart.

* * *

Andeline stepped back to admire her hard work; Lunette's hair had been braided down the middle with curled tresses falling out on either side and tumbling down her back; her gown had been fitted properly so as to emphasise her waist, bust and general slim figure and the crystal, which had been made into a necklace especially, complemented the cerulean accents on the dress accordingly.

Lunette twirled in front of the mirror, not believing that she was the one before it. She turned towards Andeline and took her into a hug impulsively.

"Uh, you're welcome." Andeline struggled against her awkward embrace.

Lunette pulled away and held her by the shoulders.

"Andeline, there is one more thing that I need you to do," she introduced the matter, "I need you to make sure that Arthur's darned servant, _Merlin_, doesn't interfere during the ceremony – do everything that is within your power."

"Don't worry," Andeline smirked, "I will." She gave Lunette her word, her face resolved.

Merlin would get _everything_ that he deserved.

* * *

**Oh, he will, will he? Meh heh ;) **

**Geez, you guys had no idea how much fun I had reading out these lines with ma pals this week. Simona does a magnificant dragon chuckle. And Eleanor and I jusy wound up slapping each other after every single line in the Arthur/Merlin scene. Oh, good times. **

**Oh my! Did you know on this day in 1995 The BBC announced that children's television programme 'Blue Peter' was to be shown 3 days a week instead of 2 from April. The controversy! Oh man, I used to love that show. Yeah, I was trying to find something intersting for you all... and I failed. Emm... It's my nana's birthday? There we go, that will do. It actually is :P**

**Peace off, BOOP! **


	20. Flowers on Flagstones

**See... Usually I would start this note about how it's Sunday again... but well, the thing is, technically is a Monday as of... 8 minutes ago. My bad. And Eleanor's bad too acually, seeing how she sent me the chapter at like half nine at night. **

**Anywhoos, it's a berry berry good chapter to make up for it. We are soon reaching the end of this adventure. If all things go to plan I would say we have around... 5 chapters left - Actually, that's not that few. But still, it makes me sad :( **

**Argh, it's Monday morning..and I am not in bed. And I have an exam tomorrow. Which I forgot about until about half an hour ago. Skills right there. **

**Ohh, it's GAGA's birthday today! Let's go GaGa for GAGA! **

**-Insert pause to allow you time to go GaGa - **

**See... that was fun! **

**Phew, I am tired... Chapter time!**

**Author: Eleanor**

* * *

Flowers on Flagstones

After the interruption of Lunette's maid and the unexpected attack from some serving girl, Arthur quickly escaped to his chambers for some last-minute preening. He ran his fingers through his hair again, taking great care to make it try and lie a little more flat. Then he crossed the room to the glass case and took out his ceremonial crown. He placed it on his head very carefully, at precisely the right angle. Uther's 'dress code' was very specific on the correct wearing of crowns. And if you couldn't wear it properly? Well, you weren't fit to wear it.

Arthur surveyed himself in the mirror once more. He adjusted the crown a fraction and winked at his reflection. He was suddenly startled by the door to his chambers opening.

"Ahh, Merlin, come crawling back to apologise, have you?" drawled Arthur, feeling a tiny spark of hope inside him light up, but not daring to look, just in case.

"No, my Lord, I'm sorry. It's just me." Said Sir Leon, poking his head round the door. He too had made an effort for Arthur's big day, his chainmail was gleaming and his usually tousled hair was well-groomed today.

Arthur beckoned for Leon to enter. He did so, crossing the room uneasily before stopping to gaze out the window. Arthur watched him amusedly for a moment before turning back to his reflection, making minor adjustments.

"What do you think?" he asked Leon.

"A true Pendragon indeed, my Lord." Came Leon's low, quiet voice from the corner. He was fiddling with the buckle that fastened his scarlet cape absent-mindedly, not even looking at Arthur.

The young Pendragon sighed, "Honestly, Sir Leon, this is supposed to be a joyous occasion, not one for frowning and sulking!"

"Sorry, my Lord, I was just… thinking, is all." Said Leon, reluctantly lifting his eyes to meet Arthur's.

Arthur smiled, "You always were a dreamer, Leon!" he laughed and turned back to the mirror, trying to surreptitiously sniff his breath, recoiling slightly as he succeeded. **(Insert Emachinescat kicking Arthur's ass) **

Leon turned to look out the window again distractedly. Though the sun shone bright upon beautiful Camelot, he could not shift the heavy load that pressed upon his heart, the foul guilt of inaction.

Merlin's words still rang in his ears, "the kingdom will fall". And here was Leon, helping prepare the prince for his doom.

He knew it was wrong, but then again Leon always suspected those who got too close to the royals too quickly. He tried to ignore the little voice in his head telling him that he's been right about things like this before, but his duty came before his own opinions. Here he was, with a chance to stop it all, but he chose to do nothing. Coward. For the love of Camelot, what was a man to do?

* * *

Arthur and Uther stood side by side in the ceremonial chamber, facing the crowd. They smiled regally at the large crowd of lords and ladies from Camelot and also from kingdoms beyond who had come to witness the proceedings.

"I'm proud of you son," whispered Uther from the corner of his mouth, his smile to the masses never faltering – this was a practiced move.

Arthur was so surprised and overwhelmed that he forgot all manner of subtlety and grabbed his father in a huge hug. The crowd cooed at the father-son moment, so rarely seen between the Pendragons of Camelot.

Uther turned bright red and pulled away, awkwardly clapping Arthur on the shoulder and taking his place at the forefront of the crowd. Now it was just Geoffrey and Arthur that stood on the small raised platform, awaiting the arrival of the bride. Arthur gulped nervously. He was about to get married.

* * *

A short blast on the trumpets announced the Lady Lunette's arrival. Gwen, hidden away behind a group of gossiping gentlewomen, gulped and tried to blink the tears out of her already red-raw eyes as the crowd turned to face the bride, some gasping at her beauty.

Lunette walked down the aisle with grace. It was the confident walk of someone who knew what she wanted, and who knew she was going to get it, whatever the cost. Gwen sighed, her shoulders shuddering with the effort of trying not to cry. As Lunette walked past, she bowed her head, as was the custom, and a single teardrop splashed onto the flagstones.

She wiped away its sisters, and turned to watch just as Arthur took Lunette's hand and they approached Geoffrey together.

* * *

Geoffrey took a deep breath as he addressed the crowd, "My Lords, Ladies and gentlemen of Camelot." The rabble quietened as they realised the ceremony was beginning.

"We are gathered here this fine morning to celebrate, by the ancient rite of hand-fasting, the union of Prince Arthur Pendragon, and Lady Lunette of Cantia in sacred matrimony." Geoffrey recited these words with ease; there had been so many weddings over the years. He didn't even need the book he clasped in his arms; he just thought it looked good as a prop.

"Is it your wish, Arthur Pendragon, to become one with this woman?" he asked, bored already.

"It is." Said Arthur breathlessly, lost in Lunette's eyes.

Geoffrey suppressed a sneeze and asked, "Is it your wish, Lunette, to become one with this man?"

"It is!" said Lunette, also breathless, but more from the sheer excitement than from unbearable love.

"Do any say nay?" Geoffrey asked the court, his eyes scanning the crowd for anyone who might disapprove of the marriage.

* * *

Gwen's eyes filled up again, and she had to clap her hand over her mouth to stop herself screaming out. This was what was best for Arthur, it was never going to work out between Arthur and her, and this was how it was meant to be… Oh, how foolish she had been to fall in love with a prince.

Leon looked at the floor, at the same speck of dust that he had been staring at for the past five minutes. He was listening to the proceedings, but he couldn't watch. It felt like treason, sitting and watching, _allowing_, as everything he fought for crumbled. The deathly silence that dared anyone to speak out against the marriage seemed louder to Leon than even the roar of the dragon he had faced once. Given the choice, Leon would much rather be fighting the dragon again now.

Gaius looked nervously over at the door, hoping that Merlin might burst in at any moment and stop the proceedings with any one of his wildly improvised excuses. Gaius fiddled with the hem of his sleeve, wishing that his cure for Arthur had worked – then they wouldn't be in this situation. Oh why had he been so proud? He should've taken a risk like Merlin and trusted Nimueh's sister. Maybe then she wouldn't have turned on Merlin, and… if only. You could fill the world with 'if only's, but it was never going to change anything, unless someone took a stand against it. But that person was not Gaius. Gaius could not stand against the impending darkness alone. As much as he hated to admit it; he needed Merlin.

* * *

Geoffrey, apparently finding no one to be in objection to the marriage, continued. A young albino serving boy with gangly limbs and a handful of freckles spread across his cheeks, walked on-stage with a garland entwined with red and yellow flowers. Camelot colours. The boy handed it to Geoffrey, and their eyes met for a brief moment. Time seemed to slow down.

Geoffrey shuddered; it felt as if cold water had trickled down his neck. He thought he heard a little high voice, as if from very far away, say: "_Nay_" but then it was gone, like a whisper in the wind. Geoffrey shook his head and searched for the boy, but he had long melted into the crowd. Time speeded up and Geoffrey looked around, bewildered momentarily.

Suddenly remembering where he was, Geoffrey held out the garland and, fumbling a little with nerves, tried to remember his lines. The voice had shaken him a little.

"W-with this garland…I do t-tie a knot…" said Geoffrey, as he tried to entwine the garland around the outstretched wrists of the happy couple. But before he could tie even the most basic of knots, he and his faltering voice were interrupted by a loud thump. The crowd swivelled round and everyone turned to face the back of the hall with some trepidation. The garland slipped from Geoffrey's hands and fell to the floor, flowers on flagstones.

* * *

**Holy Platapus! What on Earth is going on? **

**Ohh... You'll find out soon. ;) Mwah haaa**

**"Brown Eyed Girl" was recorded on this day! Wooyah! (Yup, sorry, back to random facts you may or may not find as interesting as I do) And... Puff Daddy announced that from then on (as in 2001) he wanted to be known as P-Diddy. The birth of P-Diddy! We are blessed today. So bless you. Your faces, your minds, your whole entity. You have been blessed though the power of fanfictional internetification. **

**Yes, I do need to go away and get some sleep. Toodles!**


	21. The Big Bang

**Emm... -Peeks nervously around a corner- Can we all just rewind two days and pretend it's Sunday? **

**I'm sorry folks, it's entirely my fault! I was at work all Friday and Saturday, and then out for lunch with my family on Sunday, and then wrapping toilet paper all around my friend's house, and riding ma horsie -who is far too fat for competitions in two weeks- And so haven't really had a chance to get this chapter out. **

**But it's here now! In all it's shining -not so glorious- glory. **

**Seriously, I apologise in advance about spelling. No one has checked this yet. I just wanted to get it out. **

**I offer you all a virtual strawberry in apology. **

**And oh, I decided to do some Merlin internet trolling today to update Ellie and Simona on Merlin news, and I didn't even realise they have officially announced it is back to 13 eps! Woo! And Arthur is going to have an Uncle? Exciting stuff. And Morgause is back - No suprise -. And Uther might not be in it that much this season? Now that, that one upset me the most. What will Merlin do without his Uthy-Kins? - And yes, Ellie, I'm talking to you ;) - **

**And Warwick Castle is having this kind of Merlin attraction thing opening in April. You meet the dragon! Through a mirror! (Yes, I'm reading this off the website) And there is a waxwork Colin there... and Colin says some stuff about birds being there in an interview.. Oh and Gaius's chambers, and "You can cast spells in there" - according to Colin. **

**I told my sister who had almost passed her driving test, and we simply looked at each other and said... "Roadtrip!" **

**Wait, I don't even know where it is... Oh man, it's near London. That will be one long road trip. **

**Totally worth it though. **

**Surely all that news -even if you already knew it - is enough for you to forgive me. **

**Disclaimer: I think the title of this chapter may be a Doctor Who episode... So, I don't own that. Sadly. **

**Allons-y! - As David Tennant would say. And me.**

**Author: Catherine **

* * *

The Big Bang

The late morning sun streamed between the stone pillars lining the courtyard. Merlin walked awkwardly, constantly having to raise his arm to shield his eyes as the rays hit his face. The yard was silent, save for the soft twittering of birds on the rooftops. A perfect day.

Merlin's footsteps echoed loudly along the stone floor, and his heart was beating loudly in his ears. Taking deep breaths, he tried to quell his boiling anger and frustration. But he couldn't help it. He had never in his life felt so helpless. Not even when Arthur had been bitten by the Questing Beast. Because even then, though it had been extremely dangerous, there had always been some kind of solution, however drastic. Someone with the answers.

But now there was no one. No one knew the solution, no one had any advice, no one even believed him. He was completely and utterly alone, facing a threat that had played her part so well, the entire city was under her spell.

And magic held no answers. That was a first. No spell would stop her – He couldn't just walk into the throne room and blast her, he would be killed on the spot. And not only by Uther, Arthur and Lunette - but Andeline too.

As he turned the corner, something compelled him to raise his head. And there, as if waiting for him, was the woman herself. Andeline regarded Merlin coldly from the far end of the corridor. As if waiting for something. The pair stood twenty metres apart in complete silence, neither moving.

Suddenly, Andeline slightly; a sharp, clinical smile that chilled Merlin to the bone. He waited without moving as she turned, her eyes never leaving his, before disappearing down a passage to her left.

Merlin knew where that passage went. He knew Andeline wanted him to follow her. He knew that she knew he would follow. He knew she would try to kill him. All valid reasons not to follow her.

But he did, just like she knew he would, unable to resist the pulling urge to confront her, a need to justify himself that he couldn't fight.

He followed her up to the roof.

* * *

As he emerged on the battlements, the wind whipped his hair roughly to one side, the weather seemingly playing up with his nerves. Andeline stood still on the edge of the battlements, facing away from him, brown hair flying furiously across her back.

As she surveyed the city before her, behind her Merlin swept his eyes briefly around the rooftop.

"There is no one else here." Andeline called softly, her voice deadly quiet, yet carrying clearing across the wind. "All the guards are surrounding the ceremony. We're all alone."

Merlin looked at her, standing proudly away from him, and yet could only feel pity. "What do you want?" He spoke softly.

She said nothing in reply, and they continued to stand in silence for a moment longer.

"There is something I need to know," she murmured, finally turning to face him, though carefully avoiding his eyes. "Why…" She began, slowly circling Merlin like a bird of prey, who stood still, following her only with his eyes. "Why did you do it?"

"You know why I did it," Merlin replied immediately, knowing exactly what she was talking about, and in his defiance raised his voice louder. "First she tried to kill Arthur, then my mother, then Gaius –"

"Lies!" Andeline screeched, losing all control and snapping her head around to meet his.

"You ask for an explanation yet refuse to listen!"

"That's because it's lies!" She shouted, fury burning in her eye. "That's what you do, you lie!"

Merlin took a deep breath, and calmed himself. "I'm not going to fight you," he assured.

Andeline scoffed, and continued to walk around him. "_Fight me…_" she mocked.

Finally she was once more in front of him, regarding him with that same vicious expression as before. And for a moment, Merlin was stuck with just how much Andeline looked like her Nimueh.

"You killed my sister. Now I'll kill you."

Merlin bowed his head in regret. Andeline thrust a hand out, tensing her muscles as she chanted, "_arodnes wiðinnan __ácwellan __hé beinnan mín gegnpæþ_."

A golden burst of energy ripped from her hand, letting out a noise akin to a roar, and spiralled faster and faster towards Merlin like an arrow. She watched in anticipation, a blazing fire in her eyes. For a second, perhaps even less than that, her face crumpled, and a great despair crashed over her features. Every instinct in her body screamed at her to look away, but she forced her eyes to watch Merlin's bowed head. This was her doing, she realised. If she had come this far, she must muster the courage to carry it through.

The spiral of light corkscrewed its way towards the boy, aimed directly at his heart. What took just a moment seemed to last an hour, as the spell moved quicker and quicker, gaining brightness and volume as it tore its way through the short distance.

And then it stopped. Andeline's eyes widened in disbelief as the spell seemed to hit an invisible barrier, and simply exploded less than a foot away from Merlin, leaving a dull vibrating hum in its wake.

"What…" She breathed, lost for words. Some kind of fear pricked inside of her, and made her heart start to beat erratically. What had just happened?

Merlin slowly raised his head and looked at her.

With gold eyes.

Andeline stumbled backwards as if punched, and her breathing hitched in her throat. _He had magic._

Merlin still said nothing, but regarded Andeline in much the same way as she did him – except there was definite pity in his eyes.

"You… stopped that spell." She mumbled pathetically, struggling to gather a coherent thought. "But…"

"It shouldn't have come down to this," Merlin said solemnly, looking intensely at the ground, because he knew if he continued to look at her then he may not have the courage to stay strong.

"How could you keep this from me?" Andeline breathed, her fiery temper winning over her fragile state of mind. "You lied, again!"

"No, I didn't, I just – _áwerian_!" He suddenly shouted, spinning an arm up to in the nick of time to block Andeline's furiously blasted spell. "Stop this, Andeline," he pleaded, stumbling backwards a step at the ferocity of her attack. "You are acting out of anger, nothing more! You don't want to do this!"

"Of course I am acting out of anger!" She called. "You – _ábradwian _– killed my sister! The only family I had!"

"_Scield_!" Once again Merlin staggered to one side, a shining gleam of sweat lying lightly on his forehead with the exertion. _He really was out of practice, _he noted drily. But Andeline couldn't keep this up either; clearly she hadn't anticipated the energy required for this amount of power. He had to stop her, for her sake as well as his own. He pushed his hand forward, a shimmering gold shield extended in front of him, and fought to keep it strong. "Nimueh wasn't how you remembered her."

Tears pricked the corner of Andeline's eyes as she fired every spell in her arsenal in Merlin's direction. Why was the boy still alive? "I will kill you!" She yelled.

"I can't let you do that," Merlin responded grimly, and with a wave of his hand he dissolved the shield. An act of surrender.

Andeline laughed madly and took a shuddering breath, preparing. "Ha, you and your pathetic magic." And with those words she put everything she had into a single spell; the most powerful spell she knew. Merlin's time was up. "You are a nobody. _Hréoh!"_

In an instant, it seemed as if the breeze that had been playfully shifting Merlin's hair retreated, and all the wind moved towards Andeline's high held hand. Merlin could only watch, too much in awe to even consider defending himself, as the air sucked into a condensed ball of withering power. And when Andeline couldn't hold on to it longer, and her legs began to buckle, she unleashed hell.

It sounded like an explosion, and the stone beneath their feet cracked in pressure as the tempest hurtled towards Merlin. His eyes widened and the bang made his ears ring loudly, all normal sound cut off to a hollow echoing. He pushed one leg forward to brace himself, squeezed his eyes shut and screamed, "_Sessian __médrengecynd!"_

For a moment, Merlin was unsure if it had even worked. His eyes clamped tightly shut refused to open, and he could still hear nothing out his ears. Did it work?

He cracked his watering eyes open and caught sight of Andeline's astounded expression. _Astounded, _he thought numbly, _that means I am still alive. _

As the ringing in his head retreated, and his vision grew clear, Andeline could only stand dumbfounded. No one had ever quelled that spell. Not in all the legends, the old tales told around campfires when she was younger. Never.

"You said I was a nobody." Merlin said softly, running a hand through his hand shakily. "You're wrong."

Still recovering from the revelation, Andeline hastily adopted a look of indifference. "Am I?" She queried. "In fact, Merlin, does anyone believe your little tales? I hear you were banned from the wedding."

She had touched a nerve. "I don't need anyone else."

"And the lies continue!" Andeline scoffed, throwing her hands in the air. "Tell me, have you always been this needy or do you too know how it feels to lose someone you love?"

A white hot flash of rage flashed through Merlin, and in the spur of the moment spat out what came to mind. "_fýrgnást fléoge_!"

A sharp humming noise resounded as a small, brightly lit ball of orange lit zipped cheerfully towards Andeline. She backed up, surprisingly frightened, but then the sphere just stopped, hovering in front of her face. She smiled triumphantly.

Merlin narrowed his eyes. "_Onælan." _

Suddenly, the seemingly friendly spell exploded, expanding rapidly and wrapping itself around Andeline, growing and glowing brighter until it engulfed her entire body, raising it off the ground in a deadly, swirling, whirlpool of fire. His eyes were steeled, and for a short moment his fury won out, before his eyes caught her shrill scream, and all his compose vanished, as he gasped, "_álynian,"_ and released the spell.

As soon as it was over, the effects began to take its toll on the young warlock. He gasped and folded his hands over his stomach, feeling as if he were about to be sick. But his eyes followed Andeline, who crashed towards the ground, landing roughly on the floor, sobbing hysterically. At the sight of her red rimmed eyes and shaking composure, Merlin instantly felt the great wave of guilt crash over him once more.

"Please…. Just stop." Andeline begged, struggling to her hands and knees. "Just stop."

Merlin took a deep breath to recover and made his way over to her, kneeling down beside her. "You can't bring her back." He whispered.

She turned her shining eyes up towards him at his words, as if only realising the truth for the first time. "How could she do such things?" Andeline hiccupped.

So she believed him. Finally. Merlin wanted to laugh and cheer in celebration. All this pain, and fighting, finally resulted in something. She believed him.

"Andeline, you are a good person. I know you are."

"I tried to kill you. I am a monster!" She exclaimed.

Merlin felt his heart contract slightly and gently helped her to sit beside him. "No, you're not. You're stubborn as hell, but not a monster."

Andeline smiled slightly, trying to wipe her eyes with her sleeve. "Stop being nice. I don't deserve it, Merlin."

"Everyone deserves a second chance, Andeline." Merlin replied wearily, feeling his whole body sink even more and more in a sluggish state of exhaustion as the minutes went by. "I just wish that it wasn't too late to fix everything now," he admitted sadly.

Andeline suddenly froze beside him, an expression of wonder, apprehension and realisation crossing her face. "Where does this leave us?" Andeline asked hesitantly, carefully, as if her life depended on it.

Recognising the serious tone in her words, Merlin took a moment to ponder what she had said. "I never was your enemy, Andeline. All I ever wanted to be was your friend." He admitted honestly.

"And Arthur… Did he know about… about Nimueh?" Her words were painful, timorous.

"He had no idea. Still doesn't."

Andeline sat for a moment in silence, a pause of contemplation for both of them. Merlin wondered what was going to happen now. Whether this event changed things. Whereas Andeline, she was finally deducing that perhaps Merlin wasn't the enemy after all.

"All this time," Andeline breathed, "Lunette has fed me lies to keep me loyal to her. She tricked me just to use my magic to her gain. Why did I let her?"

"It doesn't matter anymore. You don't have to listen to her now." Merlin responded kindly.

Andeline turned to face him, a small defiant spark reappearing in her eyes. "Oh, but it does." She struggled to her feet, and proceeded to pull Merlin to his, which was just as well seeing how tired he was. "I have something that you may be interested in," she stated, and shook her left sleeve gently, reaching in with her other hand to pull out a small vile of thick, gold liquid. Merlin felt his heart stop.

"Is that…" Merlin breathed, hardly daring to believe it.

"You didn't think I would keep a spare, did you?" She explained wryly.

Merlin held out his hands hesitantly, and Andeline pressed the vial into his outstretched fingers. "Andeline…."

"I hope, in time, as preposterous as it sounds, that you might forgive me."

Merlin smiled, his first true smile for days, and looked from the bottle to Andeline with shining eyes, full of excitement. "You are already forgiven."

Andeline laughed softly, "then you are an even bigger idiot than I previously thought. Wasn't I trying to kill you less than five minutes ago?"

Suddenly, the clear tolling of bells chimed across the rooftop, sending a small scattering of birds squawking out into the sky. The urgency of the situation seemed to crash down on Merlin. For a while, it had seemed like the pair of them had been locked into a conflict so intense, there had been nothing else co-existing in their world. But it all was catching up with them now.

"Come with me." Merlin blurted, clutching the antidote tightly in his fist.

"Where?" Andeline asked.

Merlin impulsively grabbed her hand, and grinned, his fear and nervousness daring to burst from his body unless he kept it in check.

"We have a wedding to crash."

* * *

Their footsteps rang clearly through the castle as the two figures raced down the corridors. Andeline laughed noisily, caught in the moment, as they ran as fast as they could, hand in hand, towards the throne room.

Merlin was in overdrive. This was it. He finally could fix this. He would save Arthur, and by doing so, save Camelot. He - just a skinny, stupid serving boy who had cause so much trouble these past few days; he had been banned from his own master's wedding.

Lunette didn't stand a chance.

They skidded around the final corridor, and slammed to a halt. In front of the pair were the large, wooden doors that led to the wedding ceremony. All that was in their way were two burley Camelot guards, one of which had recognised Merlin and opened his mouth to protest.

The poor, unfortunate guards.

Andeline and Merlin simultaneously looked at each other and grinned, before raising their hands to each point at an individual target. While Andeline muttered a few well chosen words, Merlin didn't even need to. As their eyes flashed gold, the guards barely had time to register what was happening.

They hit the doors behind them, both limp yet alive. They would wake eventually, with nothing but a fuzzy memory and a large bruise. Nothing they wouldn't recover from.

And as for Andeline and Merlin, they stood in silence, staring at the daunting double doors in front of them. Andeline sneaked a glance at Merlin, and found his expression more determined than she had ever seen, even in Lunette.

Without another moment's pause, Merlin launched forward and slammed the doors open, striding confidently straight into the middle of the Royal wedding ceremony.

* * *

**Oh, will you look at that, Merlin's all big and brave. As one of my poem's clarified, That's my boy!**

**Hope it's okay, and you overlook any and all rushed quailites it may have. Ohhh translations!**

**These may not be entirely accurate, but hey, they sounded good.**

* * *

**Okay, Andeline first spell - "arodnes wiðinnan ácwellan hé beinnan mín gegnpæþ" - Means pretty muchs -_spirit within destroy he in my path._**

**Merlin's defence - "****áwerian" - Means _- To defend, or protect. _**

**Andeline's spell - "ábradwian**" - **I believe is pretty much a - _Kill or destroy spell. _**

**Merlin yet again defence - "****Scield" - Is a _shield - _Duh. **

******Okay Andeline's big kaboom spell of greatness - "****hréoh" - Is a _tempest. _**

**********Merlin's retaliation - "Sessian médrengecynd" - Means - _Grow calm, mother nature. _**

**********Right and when Andeline pushes Merlin's buttons, and he goes raging, his spell... "****fýrgnást fléoge" - Means _fire fly. _**

**************And when it stops in front of her, Merlin simply says, "****onælan" - _Ignite._**

* * *

******************Yep, and that's it. So... till next... Sunday. SUNDAY! I will try my hardest to make sure I stick to that. **

******************Guys... next week is my last chapter! :( More from Ellie and Simona though! **

******************WOW! Today... In 1998, the Spice Girls performed their first UK concert... In Glasgow. Ha nice. Scotland woooop! _Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want..._**

******************Peace off. BOOP! **


	22. Darkness On The Edge Of Town

**Colin Morgan says we are going to see a more "damaged" Merlin this season! **

**There, I thought we should start with news seeing as it seemed to pacify you all last time. **

**I'm sorry! I know it is Tuesday, and so I am two days late (again!) But in my defence, I did have this chapter finished yesterday, but as many of you may well know, the login section of the website was down, so I couldn't upload the chapter. There! Not entirely my fault! (Just mostly). **

**So... we all went to see _The Eagle_ on Sunday. Ellie and I both noticed that one of the guys was just like Balinor however. Good movie though. Channing Tatum.. mmm... Jamie Bell.. aww. :) **

**Ohh two disclaimers today: Firstly, there is a wee section that we have taken from _Monty Python and the Holy Grail, _which we do not own. And it was Ellie's idea, and made us all laugh. So if you know what it is - Virtual high five when you reach it. **

**Secondly, the title of the chapter I have taken from a song by Bruce Springsteen (The Boss is awesome, no?) So... I don't own him? Ha. There we go. **

**Enjoy, mes amies!**

**Author: Catherine **

* * *

Darkness on the Edge of Town

As the doors swung loudly open, the entire hall stood in silent shock as the bodies of two unconscious guards slumped to the ground, and Merlin, of all people, strode into the hall, grabbing a sword from one of the slumbering men as he did so.

Uther's face quickly morphed from an expression of surprise to one of anger, and he raised a hand, opening his mouth to call for the guards. But Merlin beat him to his words.

"I object!" Merlin cried loudly, twirling his sword in a complicated manner that he had seen Arthur use on many an occasion to impress opponents. That was until, of course, he dropped it. As it clattered to the floor, and everyone continued to look dumbstruck, Merlin felt his bravado falter. "Sorry, I have just always wanted to say that. Are we not at that part yet?" He inquired cheerfully, before catching sight of Andeline's furious sideways glare.

"You need to stop this wedding now!" Andeline interjected.

"Yes!" Merlin concurred, jubilantly pointing a finger towards his ally. "What she said! We need to stop this wedding." He blabbered, aware of the fact that everyone in the room was watching him, and yet his nerves only contributed to his rambling monologue. "Well, at least for as long as it takes to cure Arthur. Then feel free to carry on. Except Arthur won't really want to marry Lunette after. So, yes… what we said before. Stop this wedding!" He finished finally, feeling his face grow uncomfortable hot.

Someone awkwardly coughed from the far side of the hall. "That really didn't help," Andeline hissed out of the corner of her mouth, while still keeping her eyes locked firmly ahead of her.

"Merlin!" Arthur finally spoke out, his face drawn and angry. "What is the meaning of this?" He growled menacingly.

Merlin looked briefly at the Prince before averting his eyes. There was no point in trying to appeal to Arthur, that much was clear. He was far beyond reason. No, the only real figure of power was the King himself.

"Sire," Merlin appealed, stepping forward. "Your son is under an enchantment. This," he explained, holding up the golden liquid, "is the antidote. Just let me cure him."

"The boy is delusional…" Lunette murmured in what could almost appear to be a fond manner, patting Arthur gently on the arm.

Uther had paused however at Merlin's words, and regarded the boy with scrutiny. "An enchantment?" He questioned.

Merlin nodded enthusiastically, eager to witness the King seeing reason. But Uther paused, and then stepped even closer to the boy, his eyes dark and dangerous. "Who are you accusing of magic," he began, his voice growing louder by the second, "in my court?"

"Emm…" Merlin stammered, intimidated by Uther's commanding presence. "The Lady Lunette." He blurted out.

"What?" Lunette exclaimed loudly, her shrill voice clearly heard. "How dare you, you little –"

"It's true Sire," Andeline suddenly stepped forward, cutting Lunette sharply off. "I know that for sure."

Uther's face was masked in confusion, as were almost all in the throne room. "And who are you?" He demanded.

"I am the Lady's maid, Sire." Andeline replied, curtseying respectfully, before turning to look Lunette in the eye. "And I saw her use magic. She wants the throne."

The spectators held their breath in anticipation. Merlin too, could barely keep a brave face. Accusing a noble was an extremely, extremely dangerous road to go down. Especially when the real witch was the one doing the accusing.

"She's lying!" Lunette screeched, pointing a long, manicured finger at Andeline. "It's her; she's the one with magic!"

Arthur shook his head groggily, as if trying to clear his thoughts. "What's going on?"

Suddenly, without warning, there was a disturbance from within the crowd, and Gwen burst out and joined Merlin at his side. He looked at her in disbelief. "I saw it too." Gwen blurted out, before looking around, her cheeks tearstained and eyes red. "It was the Lady Lunette."

"Lies! All of them!" Lunette cried, her fury emanating from her.

"I can vouch for them." All heads snapped to the left, where Gaius stood, a solemn look on his face. "Lady Lunette – if that is who she truly is, is a sorceress."

Merlin smiled slightly and looked at Gaius. A silent understanding flittered between them. A look of gratefulness from Merlin, and a look of apology from Gaius. All was forgiven, without saying a word.

Lunette was on the edge of losing it. All around her, people she had never even met were accusing her of magic. Her! Who was incapable of casting even the most minor of spells! And it was entirely that boy Merlin's fault. Him and Andeline. There were ruining everything. "It's a conspiracy!" She truthfully shouted. "They are all in on it. Arthur," she said, pulling his arm roughly. "Do something!"

But Arthur pulled his arm slowing away from her, furrowing his forehead. "This… doesn't make sense."

"Sire, I believe there is truth in what they say."

Merlin stared in shock. Sir Leon, of all people, stepping forward and opening speaking out. For a short moment Merlin looked around, at the determined faces of all these people who supported him, who believed in him. It was here, despite the truly deadly situation he had talked his way into, that he finally realised how much he loved the place he had come to call come.

Uther started in disbelief at Leon, who met the King's glare with an unwavering assurance. This lasted for a few seconds, before the Knight respectfully dropped his gaze. But Uther had seen enough. It was if a slow, dawning realisation was creeping up on him, and thoughts raged furiously in his mind. He was having doubts about the wedding – and Lunette knew it.

"No!" She once more shouted. "Arthur! Tell them!"

"She turned me into a newt!" A small squeaky voice quipped from somewhere deep within the crowd. As gasps ricocheted across the hall, almost everyone turned to discover who the mysterious voice was. "I got better." The voice piped timorously.

The crowd was against her, everyone was against her. Lunette felt the walls of the room close tighter around her. She refused to let it end like this.

"Why wouldn't your Mother come to her own daughter's wedding?" Uther mused quietly to himself, his voice low and dangerous.

"What?" Lunette snapped, flicking her head this way and that, taking in the accusing glares of all around. "No, she was busy."

Arthur stood beside her with a conflicted and confused expression, pulled between his gut instinct and his potion addled brain. "I don't understand…" _As clueless as ever_, Merlin thought wily.

"There is the one you want," She cried as she pointed wildly at her maid. "It's Andeline."

And then, as fate would have it, at the mention of its mistress's name, the broken-down crystal hanging daintily around Lunette's neck began to gently emanate a soft glow. The people looked at it in alarm, and there was a collective intake of breath from the public. Gwen gasped and took a step back, while Sir Leon and several of the knights drew their swords, their eyes flickering around the hall defensively.

"Sorceress…" The King breathed in horror.

Lunette's face suddenly hardened. This was it. She would not be killed here like some common witch. She had put everything she had into this plan. Camelot was hers.

She spun to one side, and grabbed Arthur's sword straight out of its scabbard, shoving him roughly to the floor as she did so. As he clattered to the ground, Lunette smiled madly and held the sword firmly in her hands. It was going to end on her terms. And if she was going out, she realised with a burning sense of satisfaction, she would take what the King loved most with her.

"If Camelot can't be mine," she explained quietly to the fallen Prince, as if her words made perfect reason, "then it can't be yours either." And then with all the force she had, Lunette heaved the sword above her head and sent it sweeping down.

As the ringing sound of metal hitting metal echoed loudly, it took Gwen a second to open her eyes. There, firmly holding Lunette's sword inches away from Arthur's head, was another sword. Gwen's eyes recognised the familiar metal fold of a guard's sword, and her mind instantly concluded it the Sir Leon was firmly defending his liege. A good man, that knight was.

But then her eyes travelled up the sword's blade, and her eyes widened as she took in who was holding it. _Merlin,_ of all people Merlin.

His disbelieving face mirrored Gwen's own, and the warlock was stunned by his own heroic action. His legs had seemed to move of their own accord, when the sword was brought down, and some kind of battle instincts had simply kicked in.

_You, battle instincts? Have you been on the mead again?_ he could almost hear Arthur mocking in his head. And so, with a great surge of energy, Merlin pushed his blade back towards Lunette, sending her flying backwards and out of Arthur's way.

He dropped the sword loudly and slid out onto his knees, grabbing one of Arthur's shoulders firmly as the Prince tried to struggle to his feet. "Stay still," Merlin ordered, struck with a sudden seriousness, that Arthur recognised only to well as the kind of state his servant got in before something extremely unpleasant was about to happen. Nervous, and anxious to know how is beloved fiancée had fared, Arthur tried to fight him off. Merlin suddenly produced a vial of golden liquid in his other hand, which Arthur eyed like a nervous horse. Unexpectedly, Merlin grabbed Arthur's nose roughly, and the Prince opened his mouth to shout out in indignation.

"Bottoms up," Merlin grimaced, before tipping the entire contents into the Prince's mouth.

As soon as the antidote touched Arthur's throat, the Prince's eyes rolled back and he fell back roughly, hitting his head on the stone floor. For a moment Merlin was filled with panic, a dreadful fear that something had gone wrong, but then he remembered what Andeline had told him. He remembered the cowbane. To cure a poison this potent, the antidote was going to hurt. Despite this knowledge, Merlin fought to stay calm as he watched his friend convulse slightly in front of him, before roughly grabbing Merlin's upper arm and holding on tightly, his face tensed in pain and his grip crushing. _Gods, that hurt. _

After what could only be a few seconds, but to Merlin felt like a lifetime, the Prince's hold relaxed, and his breathing slowed. Arthur groggily opened his eyes, blinking heavily for a few seconds to adjust to the situation, before resting his gaze firmly on the person before him.

It was Merlin, Arthur realised. Of course it was Merlin. Whatever had happened this time, though he still wasn't sure, Merlin was always in the midst of trouble. And as his focus returned, Arthur caught sight of several large, outstanding bruises adorning his servant's face. "Merlin, you look terrible." He croaked.

Merlin laughed, his relief evident, and shook his head lightly. "I could say the same thing," he replied, smiling down at the Prince, who shared this brief moment of gratification.

Abruptly, Arthur's eyes flickered to one side at a sound that he knew only too well, the sharp whisper of a sword being moved. His eyes widened in shock and he pushed himself up slightly at the sight of Lunette, her once beautiful face encased in rage, heading directly towards Merlin.

"No!" He called out. Merlin instinctively spun around, and was greeted with the sight of Lunette; blade raised once more, towering over him. Their eyes met briefly, his soft, innocent stare contrasting her cruel, hardened glare. The blade swung down before Merlin could even think, and he squeezed his eyes shut.

But Lunette suddenly stopped. She froze, sword wavering slightly, and looked down at her stomach. Both Merlin and Arthur's eyes followed without thinking, and there, as clear as daylight, was the tip of a dagger.

It was immediately pulled out, and Lunette clumsily dropped her sword, reaching one shaking hand towards the wound. When she moved her hand away again, Merlin screwed up his eyes. It was covered in blood. For a moment Lunette wavered, swaying gently on the spot. Her eyes roamed around her, and yet Merlin could tell that she wasn't really seeing anything. Without a sound, Lunette folded gracefully to the floor.

Merlin looked away, and scrambled hastily to his feet, desperate to be away from the body before him. Arthur, still weak, lay still, propped up on his elbows, staring at Merlin's saviour. The hall was silent, bound together in shock. And Andeline took deep harrowing breaths, dropping the bloody dagger as if it were poisoned. As it clattered noisily to the ground, her eyes were riveted on the damage before her – the crimson blood flowing freely over the once white gown.

* * *

**Oh My Days! It's like the Ides of March! All this stabbing going around... Good Lord! **

**So wow, what a day. (For Merlin) **

**And that is the end of Catherine chapter input-ness for this story. -sniffle sniffle- **

**Don't worry though! You can stop crying now - Simona has graciously let me have a small bitty in her chapter ( the one after this Sunday's one) So... 3 chapters left overall! :O **

**It has been an honor and a pleasure writing my chapters, and I would like to thank Simona and Ellie for letting me nab all the good chapters (hehe). I would also like to thank my mum and dad for being there for me, my agent, also the acadamy... **

**Haha... Okay next week's chapter: The Splintered Witch**

**Peace off. BOOP! **


	23. The Splintered Witch

**And we're back! Wooyah!**

**Got some good news and bad news...**

**Bad News - Not long till this story ends :(**

**Good (GREAT) News - Ellie, Simona and I have come up with a new story! Oh yes, first day back at school and we have been planning it like crazy! We all can't wait to start writing it. It is going to be a lot darker than this one, but I came up with the original idea and pitched it, and Ellie and Stoj (Simona) just made it become awesome! Wowee, so happy! But that will start probably after exams, when we will be officially -eek- on our last year of high school :'( **

**Anyways, I have been loving giving you guys Merlin series four updates, but if any of you don't want to know about new details then skip the next paragraph. And you can keep the magic secret! Haha:**

**- Hem hem, (Spoilers in a way, I guess) Series 4 is going to be one year after the end of series 3. Also, Kaite McGrath says that Morgana has got a new look. And judging by the filming pictures, I can see what they mean, but I'll leave it up to your imaginations. :P Also, just read this literally now, Angel is saying that Gwen has been looking after Uther the past year -Poor her- and that her and Arthur are more public. Also, by the way she talks about Lancelot I have a feeling he won't be in the entire series, but that might just be me. **

**Right so, thanks for the reviews, and hope you like whats going down in the Throne Room of Doom!**

**Author: Simona.**

* * *

The Splintered Witch

The corridors held their breath as the King held his counsel. Andeline was leaning beside the doors to the Great Hall, blank-faced, still in a state of shock. Merlin and Gwen looked at her with concern – she hadn't said anything since, but neither wanted to disrupt the stone-cold silence which enveloped the entire castle.

"He's going to have me killed… isn't he?" Andeline stared at the wall opposite her, thinking that if she did so, the walls around her might not cave in.

Merlin didn't know what to say – not yes, but then if he said no he would be giving her false hope. Thankfully Gwen came to his rescue.

"Hush" she rubbed Andeline's shoulder, "You saved Arthur's life – if there's one thing I know, it's that he'll do everything to try and repay you"

Andeline looked at Gwen. Her answer had puzzled her - she spoke of the Prince as though he was her lover and not one of her masters… _Oh._

But before Andeline could ask further, she mumbled a short excuse about having to run some errands and was off in a shot, hastily wiping her face as she ran.

Merlin looked in Gwen's direction with eyes full of sorrow. Gwen's rushed footsteps were the only sound, and once they had faded, the castle was silent again.

Now that it was just her and Merlin left, her fears began to surface. She was all alone – no one would mourn her passing or even remember her existence –and in her whole life, she realised, she had never made any real connections with anybody as much as she had in the last week or so. She had made friends and enemies, she had lost and gained but she had lived more fully in these past few days than she could have ever have dreamed of before. And now she was to lose it all again. Her life was in the hands of Uther –and knowing the history he had with her family, it would only end in bloodshed.

Andeline grabbed Merlin's hand. "Merlin, what if he recognises me?" She questioned, for she realised that that was her greatest fear – that Uther would make the connection and become blinded by his hate, pushing aside any voice of reason he may possess.

"I'm sure he won't – I mean, I wouldn't have figured it out if it weren't for Gaius." He reassured her, but Andeline was forever a pessimist.

"But he knew my sister longer – I mean, they were great friends for ages and –"

"Andeline, you're going to be fine!" Even though Merlin didn't want to say it, he had to. She was becoming more panicked by the second.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Like Gwen said, Arthur would do anything to repay you for saving his life. So just calm down; take a few deep breaths."

Andeline followed his instruction, really drawing out every breath she took.

"Oh, and Andeline?"

"Yes?"

Merlin looked down towards the hand that was holding hers, "I can't feel my hand."

Andeline looked down too, noticing a purple tinge underneath the pale skin of his left hand. She let go, entwining her own hands together.

Merlin hated seeing her like this – she was in trouble and there was nothing he could do. Not this time, anyway. So he did the only thing he could: he took her into his arms, letting her head rest on his chest underneath his chin.

Tears welled into her eyes. Merlin had always been there for her and she had just betrayed him – made his life hell, even, and yet here he was again, by her side, like a faithful puppy. Andeline had never had a puppy.

"It'll be okay, don't worry." He whispered, rocking her slightly.

"Merlin, all you've ever been is good to me and I just threw it back in your face."

"You had your reasons." He allowed.

"But still… I shouldn't have acted like I did – it's what my sister would have done… and I'm not my sister. I'm sorry." She looked up at him.

"Apology accepted"

Behind them, they heard footsteps approaching from behind the door.

A wave of urgency washed over Andeline as she realised she might never speak to Merlin properly after this.

"Merlin, I just want you to know that I –"

But before she could finish, Arthur's impassive face appeared around the door, announcing the dreaded message that the King would see her now. There was no going back.

Andeline followed Arthur into the hall with what she hoped was confidence, while the others in the room shot her quick looks before continuing to stare at the floor. The King sat before her, while Leon stood next to a pillar on the right with Gaius standing across the room from him. Merlin stayed near the back.

Uther regarded her in silence, his head rested upon his palm. She was young, rather plain looking but she reminded him of someone – someone whose name sent a shiver down to his very core. He looked over at Gaius, wondering if he saw it too, but the man just looked at his feet.

Andeline also regarded the King in silence. There he was, she thought. The man who had once ordered for her to be killed; the man who made her sister into what she had become. He had started it all – he had turned her sisters loving smile into the rancid one she had worn; he had made Andeline's very existence a lonely and secluded one; he had indirectly made Merlin end her beloved sister's life.

And now he was ending hers.

"Do you have any family?" Uther queried, needing to make sure that his eyes were not fooling him and that her resemblance to Nimueh was simply just a trick of the light.

Andeline sucked in a breath – he had recognised her already. She forced the lie: "N-no, sire", through her quivering lips. Her heart pleaded feverously that he accepted her answer and chose not to question any further.

Uther dismissed the subject. It was ridiculous anyway – he knew that Nimueh's sister had long passed away; Gaius had made sure of that. And he trusted Gaius's word.

"Do you know why you are here?" He questioned, getting to the matter at hand.

"No, sire. I do not – I do not see what I have done wrong." It was true, she could not see why she should be punished for saving his son's life – if anything, the King should be kissing her feet and praising her actions.

Uther's eyes narrowed. He shifted in his seat so that he was sitting straight-backed against his throne, staring straight into her eyes.

"Do you not recall that you split the blood of a noble woman in this hall?"

Andeline could not believe the stance he took on the situation and that he still regarded Lunette as a lady of the court, after all that she had done and had attempted to do. She had underestimated just how much Lunette had everyone wound around her little polished finger.

"The blood that was split was also the blood of a sorceress; one who planted an enchantment on your son and planned to ultimately kill him. I apprehended that sorceress – I was only doing my duty to Camelot… And I would have thought that this would have usually been an action to be rewarded."

Something told her that it was not customary for the accused to speak back to the King. Maybe it was the way that everyone looked at her in bewilderment and then at the King in anticipation. Or maybe it was the way in which the King gritted his teeth and clutched the arm rests on his throne until his knuckles turned white. The way in which his face twisted into one of pure contempt and ire -the veins on his forehead popping out from under his enraged skin - that Andeline had to stop herself from running taking a few steps back. She could not show weakness in front of him.

"And by doing so, you plotted against your mistress. Is it not a law of Camelot that servants are to stay loyal to their masters? _Is it not?_"

Merlin shifted guiltily in the shadows. Andeline knew of this law, though she'd have never thought that she would be breaking it. No one dared to breathe, let alone speak. Nobody looked at her; except for the King, whose eyes were transfixed upon her as though she might disappear – which was very tempting.

"She was not my mistress." Andeline explained.

Uther was stumped, his varicose veined-forehead receded, but a bitter smile crossed his features.

"Oh? But were you not with Lunette in the same accommodation during her stay?"

"Yes…" She cautiously allowed.

"And were you not helping her prepare for the ceremony this morning?"

"Yes…"

"Then I fail to see how she was not your mistress and you were not her servant"

He had her stumped now. She looked around the room for help but no one knew what had _really_ happened – except Merlin. She looked back at him with pleading eyes, which he only met for a second before shooting a look at the Prince.

Uther looked around the room, checking if anyone had anything to say before he declared his verdict. Arthur saw Merlin's pointed glares and stepped in between his father and Andeline.

"Father," he pleaded. "She saved my life."

Uther looked at his son – what a pitiful appeal.

"Arthur, that still does not justify what she has done. For all we know, she could be the sorcerer and she could have framed Lunette."

Andeline inhaled sharply; the King didn't know how right he was.

"Father, be reasonable. There is no way that that girl is a sorcerer – that's almost as ridiculous as accusing Merlin of being an all powerful warlock!" Arthur scoffed.

Merlin smiled sheepishly from the back of the hall.

"Arthur, anyone could be a sorcerer" _But definitely not that boy, Merlin – that idiot had more chance of becoming a goat than a sorcerer_, thought Uther.

"I know that. But she shouldn't have to be punished for doing her duty to the Kingdom – she's right, she should be rewarded"

"And all her other crimes should not be taken into consideration at all? Is that what you're saying? That as long as she does one good thing, then she shouldn't have to be punished for all the bad – well, I hate to burst your bubble, but it doesn't work that way. I have to think of what is best for the Kingdom"

"But she saved my life! Does that not mean anything to you?" Arthur yelled, and Andeline felt as though she was intruding on a private father-son matter

"Arthur, you mean the world to me, but how am I to sleep safely at night knowing that she is loose? I mean, she's killed once, she could do it again. She has to die."

"No!" Merlin called from the back of the hall and Uther's varicose veins popped up again. Leon rushed to hold Merlin back – which wasn't very hard, but he kept struggling against him.

"Father, please reconsider – she did Camelot a favour, even you cannot argue against that." He stared his father down, challenging him to disagree.

Uther looked across to Gaius. The man said nothing but his eyes told Uther everything.

Uther sighed in defeat. "Fine. You are hereby banished from Camelot. Make haste and do not return."

"Fathe-"

"My word is final, Arthur"

"But…"

Andeline stepped in front of the Prince. "It's fine. My lord, I accept your judgement. All that I ask is that you allow me some more time so that I am able to tie up all of my loose ends"

Merlin stopped struggling against Leon – if that was what Andeline thought was best than he would accept it – but he wasn't happy.

Uther leaned his head back onto his palm, slightly bored as he was when this rigmarole had started. And peckish. All this talk of crime and punishment had piqued his appetite.

"Very well" he allowed. "You have until dawn tomorrow." He flourished his other wrist, gesturing to the guards to open the doors.

"Thank you, sire" She bowed – just this once, so as to stay in the King's good books.

The guards opened the doors; signalling that it was over and they were to leave. Relief flooded through the throne room as they relished the thought of not having to witness another execution.

"Merlin" Leon stopped him before he set off out of the hall, "About before… I just want to say that I'm sorry for not helping you prevent this wedding sooner. If I had, Andeline wouldn't have had to go through with this"

Merlin nodded. "It's alright. I understand you were acting out of loyalty to Camelot"

They both stood in silence for a few seconds and then looked down at their feet. Leon then noticed Andeline waiting for Merlin at the entrance to the hall.

"Right, well, you take care of yourself – seriously, you look like you haven't slept a wink all week." He smiled.

"I will" Merlin replied as Leon clapped him on the shoulder. Merlin then made his way over to where Andeline was waiting and she took him into a hug.

"Thank you," she breathed.

"But I didn't do anything," Merlin explained as he pulled away.

Andeline smiled, "You're so modest, Merlin. You did more than you know."

Merlin smiled back. They began to walk down the hall, towards the lower citadel. And though everything seemed to have gone right, there was a nagging feeling inside of Merlin that thought he could have done more during the King's judgement – that he could have said more. Thinking this, he remembered that Andeline had wanted to tell him something before, but she had been interrupted.

"Andeline, before we went into the hall" he turned to look at her. "What were you going to say?"

Andeline thought for a minute, "I just wanted to say that… I'm glad we're friends again." She met his eyes. It was true; she had missed him while she had been playing lapdog to Lunette.

"Me too" he beamed; a smile that was brighter than the lazy sun basking in the coppery sky.

* * *

**Aww are they just sweet. Bless. **

**So guys, two chapters left! And... -cue drumroll- I get a little part in the next chapter! Woo thanks Simona! I'll let you know more about that next week. **

**Thank you all so much. And until next week, KEEP THE MAGIC SECRET.  
I'm just joking. Spread it. Around. DON'T KEEP THE MAGIC SECRET. KEEP THE MAGIC A NON-SECRET. UN-SECRETIFY IT. **

**Peace off. BOOP! **


	24. Building Sandcastles Out Of Ashes

**HAPPY EASTER! **

**You guys get lots of chocolate? I did. Well, enough to let me run for at least... oh, a week. I am a chocolate guzzler. Mmm, chocolate -drifts off into dreaming about food- **

**Actually no, I've just eaten like a gazillion tortilla chips, so I'm good for now. Nom nom nom. **

**What? Lancelot only in the first two eps! Noooo...! He's the best looking knight of knightness! (In my humble opinion... me and my friends have a spilt camp, Team Lancelot of Team Gwaine. Simona has gone for Team Gaius.) **

**Wow, sorry for that little burst of outrage. I have been finding some very very interesting stuff about the new season, but I won't tell you all in case you are staying plot spoiler free. (I tried that once, it just didn't work.) If you want to know.. go a-hunting. Or let me know, and I'll tell you. But meh. **

**So... Second last chapter! :O Well, the last one is an epilogue, so this is sorta the last. -Sniffle sniffle- **

**Ohhh yeah! I have a bit of this chapter! Wooo! It's the Arthur/Merlin scene, just in case you wanted to know. :) Me and Simona have spent all day sending this chapter back and forth between up, editing and re-editing. So... here you go! **

**It's probably the longest chapter we have written, but it is totally worth it. ENJOY!**

**Author: Simona (And little tiny bit of Catherine) **

* * *

Building Sandcastles Out of Ashes

Merlin lingered in Andeline's home; its cupboards empty, its walls bare and yet Andeline took it upon herself to make sure the floor was spotless too. He watched her from against a kitchen bench, as she dunked the brush in a soapy water-filled pail and thus rubbed the floor, furiously.

"So you've been banished: you're not allowed to return to this house ever again and you're cleaning?" Merlin remarked, bewildered. Andeline just smiled.

"Well, I'm not going to leave the place in a state – it would leave a bad impression."

"You've been banished! That already creates a bad impression…" Andeline turned at his words, her true emotions showing through; fear, anger, loss. She quickly turned back and scrubbed more vigorously.

"So… are you all packed and ready?" Merlin changed the subject, guiltily saving himself from other tortured looks from Andeline.

"Yes, pretty much, I never had that many possessions anyway"

"What about the house?"

"The tavern across the street is going to use it for rooms so most of the furniture I can just leave" Andeline looked at her furniture; the table she had dined on, the cupboards which had held her ingredients, the bed she had slept on… She was leaving it all behind.

"And you managed to arrange all this in one afternoon?" Again, Merlin was astounded.

"Well, you know me; Organised is my middle name…"

_That was true_, Merlin thought, for if it had been him that had been banished, he probably wouldn't have been able to think clearly, let alone arrange such trivial things, like a new servant for Arthur or someone to clean Gaius's leech tank…

"So, is there anything I can help you with?" he finally asked, feeling pretty useless whilst watching her clean.

"Um, yes, there is actually. I don't know what I'm going to do with _that._" She nudged her head towards the caged falcon, still tucked in the corner; untouched. A shiver darted down Merlin's spine – would he ever be able to look at a falcon again without a sense of trepidation taking hold of him?

"Why don't you take it with you?" he put forward, but Andeline laughed bashfully.

"You can't be serious! That _bird_ will be the death of me."

"Why?" Merlin eyebrows crinkled in bemusement.

"Well, I suppose it reminds me of Lunette," she shuddered. "And it can get incredibly unruly at times." She mumbled something under her breath but all Merlin could catch was "Spawn of Satan". He walked over to the meagre creature, trying to empathize with it.

"You know, that's probably because it's locked up…"

"Hmmm… Do you think I should let it go? It's not a bad idea" she said wistfully.

"You can't!" He found himself saying unexpectedly, surprised by how quickly the falcon grew on him. "It probably doesn't know how to survive on its own…"

"Well, you can have it if you want," She proposed, it made no difference to her, just so long as it was out of her hair.

"Oh no, I couldn't." Merlin walked away from the bird before he changed his mind, "Partly because Gaius is not that keen on animals and the bird still reminds me of… of the dreams…" To this Andeline stopped brushing and looked at him probingly.

"You know, you never did tell me about those dreams. I know you don't want to talk about it, but I'm intrigued as to what you saw." She fiddled with her thumbs, anticipating an evasive answer. Merlin collected all the horrible visions together, taking a shakily deep breath.

"I was being… led to a house in the woods. Inside was the falcon, only it was three times the size of this one and… along the walls were these clocks, but they had all stopped at 10 o'clock…" Andeline encouraged him to go on, knowing there was more to come.

"So I fed the falcon… and a mouse's head ended up in my mouth."

Andeline took in what he said, trying to suppress a snigger.

"It's not funny!" Merlin cried out.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry, it's just that… you _ate_ a mouse's head?" She giggled.

"What's so funny about that?" He sulked.

"Nothing…" she squeaked before a final giggle erupted from her lips.

"Well, clearly something is…"

"No, no, it's nothing, I'm fine now." She composed herself, taking a deep breath. "So… what did it taste like?" Her gurgling laughter filled the house again.

"I don't know! Like chicken, I suppose…"

"Interesting…" She bent down and got back to making sure the floor was immaculate, chuckling from time to time to herself. Merlin just rolled his eyes.

"I still can't believe you ate a mouse's head." she finally spoke, shaking her head.

"I didn't _really_ eat one! It was a dream!" He explained in frustration.

"Alright, then, I can't believe you _dreamed _of eating a mouse's head…" she teased him, getting Merlin very worked up. He said nothing, but let himself simmer down, not letting Andeline get to him in that playful-yet-aggravating-way.

"So… where are you going to go?" Merlin swiftly and 'subtly' changed the subject, which thankfully Andeline just went along with.

"Uh, I don't know… I was thinking about going to the Isle of the Blessed and looking for some remains of my sister…" Merlin shuffled his feet awkwardly.

"Andeline, I'm really sorry, again, about that…"

"It's alright, Merlin, I understand. Under the circumstances you did what you had to do – it's the past, what's done is done - so stop beating yourself up. Please, for my sake" she bolstered him.

"Well, I'm still sorry…" she allowed that and dunked her brush in the bucket.

"So, where are you going to stay?" Merlin asked with motherly concern.

"As long as I have my book of magic with me and some ingredients, I shall be fine. I am a sorceress after all – I'll think of something" she reassured him. "Oh! Which reminds me…" With her eyes, she took out a scrap piece of paper and, on it, wrote a couple of words, before tossing it towards him.

"What's this?" Merlin enquired, feeling something between confusion and curiosity, as he held the paper between his fingers.

"It's a disarming and a shielding charm," she informed him, "I won't be around to help you fight your sorcerer battles so…"

"And what makes you think I need help?"

"Well, judging from the fight you put up against me, you need all the help you can get…" she taunted.

Merlin knew she was just being silly but it still got to him. "Andeline, for the last time, you did not beat me!"

"Do you want a rematch?" she posed, throwing her brush in the bucket and getting to her feet.

"No, not at this moment…"

"See…" she nodded, grinning knowingly.

"That does not mean you beat me!" he flustered.

"Well, all I had to do was zap you with my die-a-painful-death-spell and I would've won…"

"Well, how do you know that _I _wasn't going to zap _you _with _my _die-a-painful-death-spell?"

"Oooh, is that a challenge?" she raised her hand, palm facing Merlin, as her face went cold.

"Andeline…" Merlin shirked away from her.

"_Áwendednes se frosc,_" a golden flare crossed her eyes and all of a sudden there was no boy before her.

Instead a tiny, moist frog stood in his place, small wisps of grey smoke rising around him.

"You know," it croaked, "Sometimes I wonder how you have managed to keep your magic a secr-ribbit for so long…" Andeline beamed down at him before taking her brush and scrubbing again.

"It is quite a mystery… You know, you should consider being a frog – it suits you," she mockingly complimented him.

"Oh har-de-har-har… So, ah, can you change me back now?" Merlin the Frog asked anxiously, "I don't like the way that bird is looking at me…"

"Aww… you have to spoil my fun, don't you?" Andeline laughed as she walked over to the frog, dumping the brush, and took it into her hands firmly.

"Err, what are you doing?" He looked at the height at which Andeline had lifted him, his head spinning.

"Changing you back, now hold still…" After saying this she took the frog to her lips. Merlin transformed back into his normal self, his lips still around hers. He slowly swathed his arms around her, as she enfolded his neck with hers. It wasn't a kiss of passion; they both knew that in their hearts. Yet the kiss soothed them; erasing the qualms that they didn't know they had. For one brief, blissful moment, nothing else mattered. It was one pure moment of peace and joy, seeking comfort in each other's embrace.

There was a sharp rapping on the door. They both turned abruptly, looking at the source of the noise. Arthur opened the door, only stepping a quarter of the way inside. He took in the way they were embracing and attempted to stifle a grin. "Uh, I hope I'm not interrupting anything…"

They rapidly stepped away from each other.

"Oh no, my lord," Andeline blushed and bowed, not looking the prince in the eye. "What brings you here?"

"Well, I just wanted to say thank you for saving me from Lunette and how grateful I am for that. I also wanted to say sorry for your banishment – if it was my decision, you would not have been…"

"Uh, thanks, I guess…" Andeline wasn't sure how to reply to his little speech of reconciliation. They all then stood in silence; Merlin studying his hands awkwardly while Andeline looked at the floor. Arthur just stared into space.

"Well…" Arthur said after a few minutes, "I better be on my way… Andeline… Merlin." He bid them farewell with a nod of his head; Andeline smiled while Merlin nodded back.

Once the door was closed, Andeline let out a sigh of relief. "Well, that was embarrassing…"

"Yes, just a bit." Merlin smiled widely at her.

"What?" she looked herself up and down but couldn't see the basis of his amusement.

"Well, I _dreamed _about eating a mouse's head, but you…" he shook his head, "You kissed a frog!"

* * *

The smell of polish drifted gently around the room, and Merlin shifted carefully, adjusting his hold on the breastplate. To one side sat a gleaming pile of armour, freshly cleaned and shining cheerfully in the sun. Although he would never admit it, Merlin actually enjoyed this kind of chore, the simple monotony of the task enabling him to finally relax. And a chance to relax was just what he needed.

A soft creek of the door dragged Merlin from his thoughts, and he looked up to meet Arthur's apprehensive face peering at him. _Apprehensive? _Merlin thought questionably, _why would Arthur be apprehensive?_

"Ah, Merlin," Arthur said matter-of-factly, gently closing the door behind him. "Working, for once," he commented, though his voice was lacking its usual humour.

Merlin sighed dramatically and leaned back into his chair. "I like work." He explained, "It fascinates me. I sit and look at it for hours."

However, his attempt at lightening the Prince's dreary mood only managed to conjure a faint ghost of a smile on Arthur's lips. "I need to talk to you."

"You do?" Merlin asked nonchalantly, his eyes already returning to the armour before him, leaning forward to reapply the polish. He said nothing, but began to clean in comfortable silence as Arthur quietly slid into the chair opposite him. Comfortable that was, until Arthur began to tap his fingers on the wooden surface. He flicked his eyes upwards, taking in the sight of Arthur's pensive face studying his own, before looking back down at the armour, polishing more rapidly as if it would block out the sounds of the constant finger drums.

"So… You're just going to ignore me, is that it?"

Merlin frowned, once again putting down the cloth and glancing at the Prince. "What?" He asked, puzzled.

"Don't make this harder than it already is, Merlin!" Arthur exclaimed, leaning forward across the table in a sudden movement that instinctively made Merlin lean back. "You know I'm not good at this stuff."

"Stuff?"

"Emotions…" Arthur explained, screwing up his face as if even the words were painful. "Feelings."

"Oh, yeah," Merlin agreed, nodding slightly, "you're right, you are awful at it."

"Exactly," Arthur declared, waving his arms in a circle, before leaning back into his chair.

Merlin regarded the Prince carefully before finally relaxing out of his position, though he was still perturbed by Arthur's unusual behaviour

Unwilling to delve further into the predicament, and eager to move on, Merlin resumed his rhythmic scrubbing of the steel. For about half a minute the silence held, though Merlin couldn't fail to notice Arthur fidgeting in front of him. Just as Merlin's annoyance peaked, and he opened his mouth to speak, did Arthur intervene.

"Right, so I've been asking around and apparently I may have had something to do with the bruises on your face," he rushed the words out, as if anxious to get them out in the open.

"That you did," Merlin confirmed, shaking his head slightly in amusement before his dropped his eyes to his work once more.

Suddenly, Arthur stood up, scraping the chair across the stone floor. "Fine then, Merlin, you want me to go out and say it, I'm sorry!" He practically shouted at the dumbstruck warlock. "I'm sorry I fought you, I'm sorry I chose some mad woman over our friendship, and I'm sorry I got you thrown in jail!"

The shock and surprise in the room was almost tangible, as Arthur faltered, frowning almost at himself, and it was clear that they were both struggling to understand where the sudden outburst had come from.

Merlin leaned back, letting out a choked laugh, unable to wipe the large grin spread across his face. "I'm sorry, I think I missed that. What did you say?"

"I got you thrown in jail." Arthur repeated, his eyes guarded.

"Nope, defiantly before that."

"I fought you?" The Prince queried, tilting his head slightly to one side.

"After that," Merlin assured, still smiling.

Arthur suddenly snapped his mouth shut, a small grin threatening to appear on his lips. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Yes you do, you said we were friends!" Merlin cried in indignation.

"I never did, never have, and god forbid never will." Arthur uttered, smirking at his aggravated servant.

Rocking back on his chair, Merlin refused to back down. "I heard you admit that you put Lunette in the way of our friendship!"

"Now you're just making stuff up," Arthur retorted, before catching Merlin's eye. They both let out a laugh, unknowingly releasing a tension that had wedged its way between them ever since the fight. "So…" the Prince ventured, "do you accept my apology?"

Merlin cocked his head, as if considering the matter, "Maybe if you say it one more-" Before abruptly ducking his head to avoid the glove flying in his direction.

"This conversation is to never leave this room. Is that understood?" Arthur pointed at his servant in a mock threatening manner.

"If I am to be honest, Arthur," Merlin began, capturing a sudden moment on sincerity, "which I almost always am," he added, "I was never truly mad at you. You weren't yourself, I understand that."

"And yet you made me apologise anyway."

"I couldn't miss an opportunity like that," Merlin shot back.

Arthur sighed, shaking his head. "You're unbelievable," he concluded, running his fingers though his blond hair.

Merlin snorted quietly in amusement and leaned forward toward his polishing once more, as Arthur walked around the table, pausing to take off his boots and clunk them on the table. _Great, _Merlin thought,_ yet another thing to clean. _

"On the bright side," Arthur spoke with a chipper tone, "I must say the bruises make you look a lot more battle weary." He grinned and clapped Merlin on the shoulder. "All the girls will be falling at your feet. And, judging by this morning, I would consider that it is already working."

"I don't know what you are talking about." Merlin rushed to say, hoping that the tell tale red tinge of his ears wouldn't reveal his embarrassment.

Arthur merely laughed, looking down at his manservant with self-righteous arrogance that only the Prince managed to pull off. "You can't lie to me, Merlin."

Merlin raised his eyebrows. "You'd be surprised." As Arthur moved further into his chambers, Merlin thought out loud. "Besides, I still think they'd go for the black and blue Prince rather than the battered servant."

"What?" He heard Arthur's voice call out.

"It makes you seem more accessible, see. Girls can't resist a vulnerable guy. Just you wait; Gwen won't be able to stay away…"

"No," Arthur stated, suddenly back beside Merlin's head. "What do you mean about black and blue?"

Merlin paused, turning to look up at the Prince. "You have looked in a mirror… haven't you?"

"What are you talking about?"

Merlin turned in his seat and watched with puzzled amusement as Arthur began chucking loose clothing around the room, frantically searching for the discarded mirror. "Arthur, you were brought to your senses a day ago, and you haven't seen yourself in a mirror?"

Eventually uncovering the mirror, he carefully adjusted it to prop up delicately against the wall. "I don't spend all day looking in mirrors, Merlin. I'm not Morgana."

Still saying nothing, Merlin could only watch incredulously as Arthur finally rested his gaze on his reflection, his eyes widening in disbelief as he raised one finger and prodded the bruise on his temple "What is this!"

A small smile escaping his lips, Merlin got up and moved to stand at the Prince's shoulder, studying the image the Prince was glaring at. "That would be a bruise."

"I know what it is, Merlin," the Prince snapped, spinning around to face his servant. "How did it get there?"

Merlin wondered for a moment how to approach the matter. And he had a funny feeling that the Prince wouldn't take it so well to hear he had been beaten up also. By Merlin in fact. "Ahh, well see…"

Arthur glared at Merlin, placing both hands on his hips in an intimidating manner. However, no sooner than he had when his face contorted in pain, and he dropped his arms quickly, grabbing hold of the edge of his shirt to look at his ribs. "There are more bruises!" He cried, staring in indignation at the purple decoration adorning his torso.

"Well surely you would have seen those when you washed… " Merlin started, before scrunching his face up. "You haven't washed, have you," he concluded, knowing only too well the meaning behind Arthur's sudden selective silence.

Arthur, still examining his bruised ribs closely, didn't even look up.

"Arthur," Merlin said, his voice adopting a chiding tone. "It has been almost a day since you were nearly killed and had to recover from a seriously painful antidote, please tell me you have had the decency to be hygienic. Especially since you are dining with the King in less than an hour!"

"I've been busy," Arthur muttered.

"Urgh, that's disgusting," Merlin lectured, taking a step back from the Prince. "I take back what I said about Gwen – if she has half a brain she will stay well away from you."

Arthur huffed in a most un-prince-like manner and dropped his shirt, finally turning his eyes to meet Merlin's, a dangerous glint present. "I demand an apology."

"For what?" Merlin asked, appalled.

"I apologised to you, Merlin –"

"Yeah, because you attacked me!" Merlin interjected.

"Clearly so did you!"

Merlin raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "It was self defence."

"This," Arthur hissed, stepping towards Merlin and pointing one finger at his bruise, "is not self defence!"

Merlin wavered for a moment, a small smile visible. "Okay," he admitted, "but the majority was self defence."

Arthur, however, did not find this nearly as amusing as Merlin. "Well maybe you need to work on your self defence!" He said as he strode over to the wooden table, scooped up a freshly polished gauntlet and lobbed it at his servant's head. "Come on then!" He goaded. "Defend yourself!"

"Hey, hey!" Merlin protested as he nimbly side-stepped the raining shower of amour being tossed his way. "Don't make me hit you again."

Arthur paused, smiling dangerously before walking right up to Merlin. "Go on then," he taunted, holding his arms wide, a clear target. "Give it your best shot."

For a moment the pair stood still, Arthur waiting for the inevitable moment when his servant would bail, and Merlin trying to figure out whether a long period in the stocks would be worth it for this one free shot.

"I need to go," Merlin eventually concluded, deciding even if he took a swing, the Prince would most likely have him in an arm lock before he could say_, "I was only stretching!"_

Arthur grinned wickedly. "I thought you might."

Retreating quickly away from the Prince's menacing stare, Merlin turned and practically ran toward the door, already compiling in his brain a moment in his day to get the chance to polish the armour.

Again.

He reached the door, grabbing hold of the handle and pulling it open as the Prince's voice rang out once more.

"One more thing, Merlin."

Merlin turned and grimaced at the sight of Arthur, standing in the centre of the room, smiling fiendishly, his helmet bouncing cheerfully between his hands.

"Now Arthur, don't you think all this is just a little bit childish-"

He ducked to one side as the helmet came hurtling towards him, flinching in apprehension of the crash on the wall. When no sound issued, however, Merlin looked up at Arthur to see him smiling cheerfully without a care at someone stood directly behind him. Merlin turned and saw Sir Leon, standing with a bemused expression in the doorway, the helmet nestled safely in his hands.

"You might need that," Merlin warned Sir Leon, glancing at the helmet as he made his way out the door, before pausing and tilting his head to one side and raising his voice. "To protect you from Arthur's massive ego-"

"Merlin!"

Still laughing, Merlin ducked under Leon's arm and ran out the room. Things were defiantly back to normal.

* * *

The sun had set and the night was creeping into Camelot like a plague. Arthur tapped on Gwen's door, a soft glow coming from inside. He raked a hand through his hair, wondering how he was going to make it right with Gwen. He had hurt her; it was one of the only things he could remember, vividly, from his enchantment hazed days. Every time his mind replayed the memory: he willed himself to take her into his arms; he wished that he would not call her a "servant girl" and he tried not to leave her crying in the hall. But to no avail. He despised Lunette for playing with him; making him hurt the people he cared about, physically and emotionally.

The door opened, just enough so that Gwen could peek at who it was before she abruptly tried to close it again.

"Gwen, wait!" Arthur stuck his foot in the door to which she scowled.

She opened the door slightly wider, forcing a polite smile, "How can I help you… sire?"

"Guinevere, I just want to say that I'm sorry for the way that I've behaved and I'm sorry about what I said-"

"Is that all?" Her plastered smile cracked and she began to close the door again.

"No, Gwen!" Arthur pushed against her door and let himself in. Gwen tried to close the door quickly to stop him from but he was too fast. She scowled again.

"Go away, Arthur." She told him.

"Look," he ignored her, "I wasn't myself, I was under an enchantment"

"You can't blame it all on magic!" She stated.

"I didn't mean the things I said – you're not just a servant girl to me, you're anything but. I love you," Arthur stopped, realising the extent of the feelings he had for Gwen. He smiled before continuing, "I don't care that you're a servant girl – _I love you_."

Gwen's eyes watered but she was still defiant, "Saying 'I love you' won't _magically_ make it all better."

Arthur sighed, "What more do you want me to do? Beg?" He got down on his knees – it was worth a shot.

"I am Arthur Pendragon and I love you," He took one of her hands and put it over his heart, "And I'm begging you to take me back."

Gwen's eyes gushed, _how had it come to this?_ She could feel the muscles of his chest through his shirt and every single beat of his heart – the heart that he claimed loved her. But how could he hurt her, like he had, if he loved her? She started crying more profusely.

Arthur stood up, still holding her hand, "Gwen, please don't cry…" He stroked her cheek. "It breaks my heart to see you cry." Tears of his own formed; he tried to blink them back.

"How can I n-not cry when you break m-my h-heart?" She cried even more, taking the hand that was still on her cheek into hers.

Arthur took her into his arms, glad that she didn't protest. She cried herself out on his chest while he rocked her, rubbing her back in soothing motions.

"Oh, Arthur," she managed to say in between hiccup sobs, "How m-much longer must we pl-play this game?" It seemed almost every week Arthur fell victim to another curse and in the end always broke her heart that little bit more.

"What do you mean?" Arthur looked down at her with a puzzled face.

"I'm just so sick of it – having to watch you fall prey to sorceress after sorceress that marches into Camelot. I just wish they could pick on someone else."

"You sound jealous." A hint of a smile played on his lips.

"Not jealous; just upset. You would be too if you saw me fall in love with another man." Gwen retorted.

But the thing was: Arthur had. Even though he hadn't seen Lancelot in ages, he still tainted his thoughts of Gwen; an ever constant reminder that she was not only his. Of course he didn't voice this – why make the situation even worse than it already was?

He instead settled for: "I'm sorry."

Gwen looked up at Arthur. He tensed slightly. They gazed in each other's eyes and in their wordless communication she saw what she needed to see. What was it about those eyes which made Gwen's heart skip a beat? She couldn't survive without him by her side.

"I forgive you." And with that she snuggled back into his chest while Arthur kissed the top of her head.

Arthur relaxed, breathing out softly and closing his eyes. He had feared that the damage Lunette had caused could be irreversible but he should have put more faith in Gwen's golden heart, still so willing to forgive and try to forget. Their feelings were just that strong.

They stood in their embrace for awhile, finding that it was all they longed for. During the hectic days at the castle they never had time to be close to one another, let alone talk. That was why Arthur cherished every fleeting second he had with Guinevere, alone, where there were no barriers of social etiquette, or other such formalities, holding them back. All he wanted was to be with her, just to hold her – it was enough. He couldn't imagine, or think of, himself with another; there was no one else out there for him, no one could compare to her humility, her gracefulness, her tenderness. He needed that, above all, after the brutal trials of everyday life in Camelot.

* * *

There were the beginnings of a warm glow on the horizon, muted greatly by the mist which had settled during the night. Andeline adjusted her cloak and tugged her bag, filled with her belongings, out of her house. She brought out the falcon and laid it beside her door – for once it didn't mind her awfully close presence. She checked that everything was spotless one final time before blowing out the candle on the dining table; the only source of light and warmth in her home. She closed the door behind her as she left.

Nothing stirred in the early morning light – for that she was grateful, for she would rather leave when no one was watching so that no one knew she was banished. Even though it was the better option, the other being execution, she couldn't help but feel ashamed, for, in her view, she had lost. Uther had won; she may not be dead, as he originally wished, but she was to never come back to Camelot again. Either way, she would've lost something – it was either her life or her home.

Andeline heard the faint pounding of footsteps coming from within the mist. She strained to see who it was but knew immediately once she saw glimpses of red and blue bobbing towards her in the weak light.

"Merlin, what are you doing here?" She said once he was within hearing distance.

"I came to see you off." He was bent over beside her, wheezing and red faced, "but I thought I was too late so that's why I ran." He puffed before straightening.

Andeline smiled, "Well, I'm glad you're here." She hugged Merlin tightly before pecking him on the cheek.

"Not going to kiss me this time?" He confidently asked, trying to stop himself from blushing.

"No, if you get too many treats you'll become spoilt" she replied coolly, winking. But then she looked downcast, worried that she had led Merlin on.

"Merlin, about yesterday…" She looked at her feet before looking him in the eyes. "I hope I wasn't giving you the wrong idea, I mean… I just want us to be friends." Andeline realised that if he _had_ thought they were something more, what she had just said was a major slap in the face. She looked back down at her feet, wishing to be swallowed up by the ground. _How had it come to this?_

Merlin smiled, "Andeline…" He waited for her to lift up her head, "I know. That's what I want too." He hoped that he had reassured her that she had done nothing wrong. "Because hey, what's a deep, lingering kiss among friends, right?" He grinned, trying to lighten the mood. Catching sight of Andeline's hesitant smile, he changed tact. "Why don't we pretend that it never happened?" He suggested.

Andeline nodded, "I'd like that."

An awkward silence enveloped them for a few minutes, where they realised that their friendship would never be quite the same since that kiss. They also realised that friends shouldn't know what each other's mouths tasted and felt like – even though they felt good.

"So, this is awkward… " Merlin broke the quietness. Andeline laughed nervously.

"When are you planning on leaving?" He asked.

"Why, do you want me to leave already?"

"No, no, I was just… you know, curious." He quickly explained himself.

Andeline tittered, "You're a very curious boy, Merlin. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing…"

Behind Andeline, a hooded figure, and another man behind him, was approaching out of the mist. Merlin stared at them, struggling to see the first man's facial features but recognising the second man as the one who bumped into him at the market.

"Merlin?" Andeline turned around to see what he was staring at.

The two figures had reached them now and from under the first man's hood there was a slight, peculiar glow… Andeline looked at the men, then at Merlin, and then back at them.

"May we help you?" She offered.

"The real question here, Andeline, is may _we_ help _you_?" The hooded one spoke.

She gasped, "How did you know my name? Who are you?"

The hooded one chuckled slightly, "We have known of your existence for a very long time."

"We know about your sister." The second man interjected, for which he received a hiss from the first. But his voice softened when he turned to face Andeline again.

"What, Isaac here, meant to say was that we know that you are not like your sister" The first one explained while Isaac kicked himself for being so forward.

Andeline began to lose patience with the two men, "What do you want with me?" She cut to the chase. Merlin was glad she voiced that question for he was wondering the same thing.

"We're here to offer you a chance to join us – where you'll belong and feel like you have a greater purpose in life." He proposed.

Andeline was never one to accept things at face value but there was a truth in his words and she found herself trusting him. Though she was still sceptical of his offer.

"What's the catch?" She asked cautiously.

The hooded man laughed again and Andeline felt as though there was some big joke that she wasn't a part of. "Young sorceress, there is none. We just want to help you."

Again, Andeline found herself trusting him but more questions came to her mind.

"Why have you come here now? Why not before?" Andeline wondered aloud.

"I'll admit, our meeting was not destined to happen today." The hooded man tried to explain it the best he could.

"So we were meant to meet?"

"Eventually, yes. But destiny can be uncertain, and we must seize the opportunity whenever possible."

Andeline contemplated what he had said. She couldn't detect a false note anywhere and, although reason argued vehemently, some compelling urge within her longed to go with these people. To finally do some good with her life.

She picked up her bag and took a few steps forward before Merlin grabbed her arm. Andeline looked at him.

"Are you sure?" He asked with motherly concern.

Before she could speak, the hooded man interposed. "I will look after her; you have my word, Emrys."

Beside Andeline, Merlin froze; his thoughts raging furiously in his head. One word, one single word, conveyed to Merlin just how important these people were. They knew the prophecy. They knew what he was destined to do. With just one single word, Merlin knew that their gesture of friendship was something which could be relied upon.

Andeline smiled and nodded, taking his hand off her arm and giving it a gentle squeeze before walking over to the men. The second man, Isaac, nodded towards Merlin before starting to lead Andeline away. She turned back, a soft smile on her face, and their eyes met one final time. Andeline took a few steps back, and already the darkness threatened to swallow her.

The hooded man also seemed to nod and began to follow when Merlin impulsively cried out. "Wait! Who are you?" He asked again, as he remembered that Andeline's original question had gone unanswered.

The hooded man turned, scanning the horizon, where a brilliant glow began, before answering, "We are the Guardians. We live in the shadows."

Having said that, the sun woke from its slumber and the hooded man, along with Andeline and the other man, melted into the sinking shadows. The last thing Merlin saw was a flash of gold coming from where the hooded man's eyes should have been.

He stumbled backward, confused by what had just happened. The man's glowing eyes burned into his brain, leaving behind a haunting memory. All around him, houses and streets appeared out of the shadows, happily basking in the early sunlight. He was alone, leaning against what used to be Andeline's home, when he heard a screech beside him.

The falcon – he hadn't even noticed it for it was being unusually quiet. It looked up at him with pleading eyes. It was time to set it free.

He moved the cage away from the door and fiddled with the latch. Once the door had been opened, he coaxed the reluctant falcon out of its prison. Eventually it soared out of the cage, jetting up into the sky, spreading out its magnificent wings. He wondered how long that bird must have been cooped up in that cage as he watched it fly circles in the sky. It must've been good to be free.

Merlin turned back to the cage, redid the latch and put it next to the door; out of the way. He then turned his face to sky again, shielding his eyes, to watch the falcon fly around with vigour before it began its determined path into the east.

"_Mer_lin!" The unmistakeable voice of the prince came from behind him, giving him the fright of his life.

"Is this why you're late to work all the time? You've been here?" Arthur asked as Merlin turned around. He then suddenly realised whose house they were standing outside.

"I take it that Andeline has already left?" Arthur reasoned to which Merlin nodded; his face glum.

"Cheer up" Arthur clapped him on the shoulder, "There are plenty of other girls in Camelot, Merlin."

"I don't know what you mean." Merlin smiled, finally finding his voice.

Arthur looked as though he was going to tease Merlin some more about Andeline when Gwen went past them, giving them a radiant smile. Arthur's eyes followed her, his train of thought completely lost.

"Merlin, go and… go and polish my breakfast, okay?" Arthur managed to say, waving the hand that was on Merlin's shoulder in Merlin's face. He then went off to follow Gwen, leaving a bemused Merlin behind.

"Arthur, where are you going?" Merlin called.

"I need to go… go change my feet!" was Arthur's abstract reply as he continued to walk away.

Merlin shook his head. _It's just another ordinary day in Camelot, _he thought, smiling to himself.

* * *

**Of course it's a normal day in Camelot. Frog kissing, armour tossing, creepy men and pretty girls. What's more normal than that? **

**I hope you liked it, free free to review if you should feel so obliged. **

**And so my citizens of Camelot, until next week. Peace off. BOOP! **


	25. Home

**Hiya! **

**Guys... this is the last chapter! :O **

**Nooooooooooooooooooooo -fades eerily- **

**So, I am putting this chapter up with great sadness, not only because it's the last one but also because Simona just randomly dumped me on Skype. :( **

**This is more an epilogue than a chapter, which should answer some questions and yet create many more. Ooo... Much like the current season of Doctor Who, but that's neither here nor there. **

**I hope you liked this story, I really do. Our first big venture into Camelot. Me on my white horse, Ellie on her ginger pony, and Simona on a donkey. Haha. **

**Anywhoos, here we go... -sniffle sniffle- **

**Author:Eleanor**

* * *

Home

There was a sound like the rushing of wind and Andeline stumbled in the darkness. Strong hands held her carefully and kept her from falling, but the dizziness wouldn't leave her. Suddenly it all stopped and there was a deathly silence.

Andeline opened her eyes as she realised that she'd been squeezing them tightly shut all this time. It took her a few moments to adjust to her surroundings.

She was in a forest clearing. The early morning rays of the sun shone pale through the trees, dazzling her vision. She turned around, wondering where Isaac and the unknown other man were. She seemed to be quite alone, and she cursed herself for being so foolish, allowing herself to go with these strangers. And now they had stolen all the things she possessed in the world and left.

She knelt down on the forest floor and tell-tale tears began to cloud her vision. _Stupid Andeline, stupid._

"You're not stupid." Came a small voice.

Andeline looked up and saw a boy through her half-formed tears. His skin and hair were pale, as were his watercolour eyes. An unusual appearance, but more disturbing than that, however, was the fact that he had just read her thoughts.

"W-who are you?" she managed to say, her voice breaking with exhaustion and confusion.

"You have so many questions…" the boy said, looking deep into her eyes, "Come, let's find you some answers." He held out his hand and helped her up.

Andeline and the boy walked for a few minutes in silence. Andeline kept stealing glances at him, as if by catching him unawares she would be able to ravel this whole mystery out. But he simply smiled mysteriously and kept walking.

"I'm Andeline." She said abruptly, trying to divulge his name.

"I know." Said the boy, chuckling to himself quietly.

Andeline was stunned. She had never met anyone of his age who was so wise and mysterious. And he was only part of the mystery. She wondered what she was getting herself into.

"Here we are." Said the boy.

Andeline looked around, confused.

"This is the clearing where we started." She stated, perplexed.

"I know." The boy laughed, "Sorry, I couldn't help myself."

Andeline opened her mouth to speak but she was interrupted by another voice.

"Hendrick, stop fooling around."

Andeline looked over to where the voice had come from. It was the quiet, yet authoritative voice of the black hooded man from earlier. Except now he had taken down his hood and his bald head was glowing with the light of various magical symbols.

"Andeline, welcome." He nodded at her.

Andeline was speechless. But then, other figures began emerging from the trees, surrounding her in a wide circle. Hendrick, the pale boy, backed off and joined the circle.

"We are the Guardians, protectors of the prophecy. Peace to all Albion." They chanted, as one.

Goosebumps shivered down Andeline's arms as she heard those words. A thrill of excitement and intrigue coursed through her blood.

"Greetings. I am Ansari." Announced the tall bald man. He waved his arm in an arc around the circle. "And we are the Guardians – those sworn to protect Camelot and its future King. And He who will change everything; Emrys." At the mention of 'Emrys' there was an outbreak of excited whispering around the circle.

"I- I don't understand –" began Andeline, turning confusedly to look at everyone.

"It is understandable, don't worry. But introductions first." Said Ansari.

A wizened old man with tufts of snowy-white hair protruding from under a faded red fez introduced himself as Waldemar. A man with olive skin, a pointy beard and fingers laden with ornamental rings turned out to be Tapsell. Hendrick was the pale laughing boy. Isaac was the other one of the two men who had brought her here, sturdily built with a mane of rust-coloured hair. And last was Mabel, the plump old women from the herb merchant's shop.

Andeline's eyes widened in surprise as she realised that many of these people she had already seen before, from her daily life in Camelot.

"Yes, we've been watching you for a while now, Andeline." Smiled Waldemar.

"It's funny, the things that people fail to see until it is right before them." Said Tapsell, musingly.

"We know that you are Andeline, sister of the great Nimueh. Great but terrible. We know that you are not like her, but that similar power, though most of it as yet unawakened, flows through your veins." Said Ansari, commanding control again.

Andeline opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted.

"We know life has been hard and lonely, and we want to help you." Said Mabel, her voice full of motherly concern.

"If you join us, you will never be alone again." Said Hendrick, shrugging.

"The Guardians?" asked Andeline, only able to put a few coherent words together.

"Yes. We have heard the prophecy, of what is to come. We work together, to ensure that the prophecy becomes a reality. We live in hope." Said Waldemar.

"We all have magic here, Andeline. But we use it for good, for the protection of Camelot and He that will rule, and He that will serve." Said Isaac gruffly.

"We are sorry for what you had to do to save He that will rule." Said Hendrick sadly, brutally suppressing a shudder. Though he had been in the room when it happened, he had turned away when he heard the thought cross Andeline's mind. The thought that became a fatal action.

"Had we not failed to kill her when she arrived, none of this heartbreak and sadness would have happened." Agreed Tapsell.

"Wait, so _you_ were the bandits who tried to kill Lunette?" asked Andeline, incredulously.

Ansari nodded gravely. "At great cost to ourselves."

"Erasmus and Clara." The group chanted as one, solemnly thumping their chests once.

"Yet it is done. You have saved Camelot. You have proved yourself worthy. And we know that the time is right for you to join us." Said Mabel, choosing her words carefully.

"We who are six, now need a seventh." Said Ansari, "Will you be number seven?"

"I– I will." Said Andeline, tears filling her eyes as she finally began to appreciate being surrounded by those of her own kind. She no longer had to be alone. She was home.

* * *

**And then it was over. **

**Thank you all so much, for reading this, for reviewing this -in particular those who have review regularly, and both you and I know who you are- and for making us love writing this so much. **

**As I have said, we have another story on the board, but since we have exams in about a week, nothing may be up until those are over... (Like four weeks - I know it's ages!) **

**Also, we began writing I suppose what we are dubbing "bloopers", and so those may find their way onto FF at some point. **

**Until then, read our poems if you should feel so inclined, as they are awesome. **

**By the by, Eleanor and I made up the names of the Guardians, and Ansari is actually the name of a historian. And, only a few days ago, Ellie and I were walking through our school's quad and saw a poster for St Andrews Uni lecture - with Professor Ansari. We had a mini spazz. A Guardian in our town! Woo! Good times. :P **

**I feel like I'm forgetting something. Hmm...**

**In Minnesota it is illegal to cross state lines with a duck on your head.**

**In Indiana it is illegal to ride public transportation for at least 30 minutes after eating garlic.**

**You strange, strange lovely American people. Brilliant.**

**Okay then, thank y'all muchly. In the wise words of Toby Turner: Peace Off. BOOP!**


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